Author Topic: Stone breaker  (Read 10159 times)

Offline Skoosh

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Re: Stone breaker
« Reply #9 on: Monday 01 October 12 13:56 BST (UK) »
You're right enough Bruce. He must have been in some wee local quarry opened for the purpose. The Causeymire is, I think, the spelling.

Skoosh.

Offline hdw

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Re: Stone breaker
« Reply #10 on: Saturday 09 February 13 12:37 GMT (UK) »
So much for stone breakers and stonemasons. Does anyone have any knowledge of "stone cutters"?

One of my female ancestors (maiden name Jane Murray) died in the Jedburgh Union poorhouse in 1868. She came originally from Northern Ireland, almost certainly from Belfast, and her death-certificate gives the occupation of her father William Murray  as "stonemason".

I have a copy of Martin's Belfast Directory of 1841-42, and it lists a William Murray, "stone cutter", in the city. It's highly unlikely that Jane's father would still have been alive and working then, but these directories were often out of date before they were printed. Alternatively, a son of the same name might have inherited the family business. If "stone cutter" is equivalent to "stonemason". I think it must be a bit more than "stone breaker", as a labourer breaking up stones wouldn't have had an entry in a trade directory.

Harry