occupation

[llangatwg]

in 1838 a relative of mine occupation was a navigator.  he was living in trecastle at the time.  i know what a navigator is but i was wondering if there was a diff meaning to the word.   thanks

[osprey]

as in navvy?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navvy

[llangatwg]

thanks - this may be right as on 1841 census he is a mere labourer. 

[Mike in Cumbria]

I'm no sailor but a bold navigator,
I don't care for the sea's salty spray.
I labour on land with me shovel in hand,
For that is the navvies way.

Chorus:
Our old hands are as hard as the foreman's heart,
Our backs growing broader each day.
Our necks are so thick, there's no collar to fit,
For that is the navvies way.

I drink and carouse in the alehouse,
I fight and I gamble my pay;
I don't give a toss for a self-righteous boss,
For that is the navvies way.

I've a wife of me own back in Kerry,
I'll get home and be with her one day.
I've another one here, for the rest of the year,
For that is the navvies way.

I've tunnelled through rock under mountains,
I've stood up to me neck in wet clay.
I've seen men die, blown in bits to the sky,
For that is the navvies way.

I dreamed of a fine navigation,
With machines excavatin' away
But it' shovel and pick, for you Pat and Mick,
For that is the navvies way.

When I've cut me last cut and I've finished,
For my wake you won't have to pay.
Just sell off my shoes for a bottle of booze,
For that is the navvies way

[youngtug]

You may find this interesting;   http://www.victorianweb.org/history/work/sullivan/6.html

[Skoosh]

Nothing "mere" about labourers!

Skoosh.

[llangatwg]

i didnt mean any offence by a "mere labourer", but to me a navigator in the way i thought of the word was a more interesting occupation.
my father was a labourer and he worked very hard during his life as no doubt every other labourer does.  sorry you took it the "wrong" way

[Skoosh]

ll,  no problem, the labourers made the world.

Skoosh