Genealogy Chat

Whats the bizarrest of occupations you have come across while searching for your ancestors in census's. And I don't mean the normal occupations you come across in a day to day life.

Make sure to add the name and details of someone in the household so we can have a look for ourselves.

Before someone else reminds us , there was of course the Olde Crones's ''beaver blower'' - that one is infamous

1881 census: Source information: RG11/0198 Registration district: Pancras Folio: 97 Page: 9 Alfred Cotton - Urinal Cleaner for the Parish He is hubby's rellie, not mine lol Sarah

First hubbys releation....1891, James Levett born abt 1837 Berwick Sussex....Scavenger

lol that's funny, Lemon N, My hubby's urinal cleaner was ''promoted'' to Scavenger (that's the lowest form of street cleaner) when he was in his 60's! Sarah

haha, Keep them coming. Just think, when you are stressing about how rubbish your job is. Just think of the poor guys occupations posted on this thread.

this one just says it all. Just look at the surname: Name: Frederick Death Age in 1881: 41 Age months: 0 Estimated birth year: abt 1840 Relationship to head-of-household: Head Gender: Male Where born: Wormingford, Essex, England Address: Street Civil parish: Wormingford County/Island: Essex Condition as to marriage: Married Occupation: Rat Destroyer & Thatcher Source information: RG11/1799 Registration district: Lexden Sub-registration district: Fordham ED, institution, or vessel: 10 Folio: 120 Page: 14

I hope this is actually short for Cattle. Perhaps someone can shed some light. Name: Peter Ashmore Age in 1881: 38 Age months: 0 Estimated birth year: abt 1843 Relationship to head-of-household: Head Gender: Male Where born: Bethnal Green, Middlesex, England Address: 171 Union St Civil parish: Southwark St Saviour County/Island: London Condition as to marriage: Married Occupation: Cat meat Man Source information: RG11/0518 Sub-registration district: St Saviour Southwark ED, institution, or vessel: 3b Folio: 109 Page: 23

lol Marion! Siobhan - According to my gran (born 1892) the cat meat man came round with meat on a barrow, not for human consumption, which was sold as pet food. I expect many a hearty meal was made from it???!! lol I don't know if her definition is correct though? Sarah

Not from my tree but a family history hints book I am reading says the limehouse ennumerator in 1871 described all the prostitutes he met as fallen. He also came across tingle makers - no idea what that is and a professional wizard. The book gives the case of some rustic who entered his cat on the 1901 census. Jim was said to be a lodger, one year of age, male, single occupation mouse catcher working on own account Infirmities nil