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Some Special Interests => Occupation Interests => Topic started by: finewa on Sunday 02 July 06 23:16 BST (UK)
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My Fraternal Grandfather is listed on the 1891 Census at age 14 as a Cutler Apprentice in EDN Scotland.
In 1898 he was married in EDN and his occupation was a Surgical Intrument Maker on the Marriage Records in St. Andrews EDN.
The 1901 Census has him as Dental Instrument Maker.
I see that Cutlers are discribed as Knife Makers, Sword Makers and so on so I suppose that all fits in.
Is there anywhere that one could find records of Apprenticeships at that time in EDN?
He moved to Surrey England in 1935 and was an Instrument maker with BAC as I believe it was called at that time.
Thank you
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Hi
Have you tried the British Dental Association? May be they have an archive/library section.
http://www.bda-dentistry.org.uk/index.cfm
Jane
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Hi finewa,
My G. grandfather was also a dental instrument -maker &you are the first rootschatter I've come across who shares a search on the same lines.
I am in Australia so everything seems more complicated. The rootschat group have been hugely helpful to me however.
I was very glad to see Jane's link to bda and I have immediately sent off an inquiry about my George James Parrett to see if they could suggest where he may have done his training in 1850's before commencing practise in 1860's
I hope they can advise.
I will watch for any results you might get.
Best of luck.
Sue
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You should try the archives of the Cutler's Company which are held at Guildhall Library. Many of the City Companies controlled apprenticeships across most of the country. The Cutlers have apprentice bindings up to 1848 and other records which go on to the end of the century.
David
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Thank you David.
I have found the Guildhall Library site and see they do offer a research service. I will take this further after I have heard any suggestions from BDA.
I appreciate your interest.
Sue
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Not sure if this will lead anywhere...but..
The Royal College of Surgeons of England has a site with details of over 7000 historical surgical and dental instruments in its museum.They may be of help?
www.rcseng.ac.uk/museums/history/collections.html
Dawn
PS for those in aussie you can try for info via the australian dental association
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Hi
I now work within commissioning and contracting with Primary Care dentists although I am a pharmacist by profession. Although I immediately pointed you towards the BDA I will ask my colleagues within the Dental Profession where you should go.
Jane
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hello.
I have a father and son who were both Surgical Instrument Makers also Scarificator Maker.
I would like to know whether this type of occupation was skilled/ unskilled. whether it was home based as opposed to a factory production line type occupation.
Thanks in anticipation................ Iain.
Moderator Comment: topics merged
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Surgical instruments normally demand high precision so they would certainly be called skilled workers rather than unskilled laborers. Look up scarificator on Google. The wiki for bloodletting shows a very complex mechanism.
Unlikely that this would be a home-based occ. but not completely out of the question. Since you know where they were at the time, perhaps you can find an old online directory that would list instrument making establishments.
Nick
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It was very much a skilled job which involved an apprenticeship. The following site gives a more modern example
http://www.gowllandoptical.co.uk/ericjeans.htm
In London they were often members of the CutlersLivery Company.
David
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Thanks folks.
That was very helpfull and interesting.
perhaps i could look into this more and see if any trace remains re apprenticeship details.
mind you, father and son were both Thomas Brown which isn't the best name to look for in London.
i looked up 'Scarificator' and it looks like it would need a high degree of skill/training to make.
Although skilled i think it must still have been modestly paid.
Thanks
Iain
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It is worth noting that the Barbers' livery Company was until 1745 the Barber-Surgeons' Livery Company recognising that blood letting and similar operations were carried out by barbers.
In the same way the instruments that they used were made by the same people, there being litle distinction between razors and sugical instruments.
David
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thanks.
my people were active in the late 1820's onwards.
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I am wondering if anyone knows if there was a guild or maybe an apprenticeship that would have covered the occupation of Surgical Instrument Makers - I have several members of the same family listing this as their profession from around 1820 onwards. The surname for this family group is Carpenter.
Vea
Moderator Comment: topics merged
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Although as I said above the Cutlers' Company is the main guild to look at you might also find something at the Clockmakers' Company. They certainly had apprentices who made scientific and mathematical instruments and also spectacles.
If you are looking for someone in the Sheffield area then there were relevant local guilds and that is probably true of other major towns. Most towns had a guildhall which held the details of local apprentices which in most cases will now be in the county record office.
David
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I have a father and son who were on census records as Brushmakers. On the son's marriage certificate in 1873, both father and son were listed as surgical instrument makers.
Can anyone shed some light on the link between the two occupations? And any ideas on resources to check for them other than the brushmakers society website, or trade directories?
The father was Peter DILLON born about 1829, and the son was Alexander DILLON born about 1854. They seem to have been primarily living in Durham, and then Lancashire.
Thanks, Katharine.
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Hi 243rose
I know this an old thread but after finding your message within this thread about surgical instrument makers I am hoping you will get this response!
I too am researching a father and son both called Thomas Brown in London that are surgical instrument makers.
I wonder if you ever had any luck progressing this pair? They are proving to be rather challenging to find with their surname
I would appreciate any information very much!
Thanks
Sarah
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Hi Sarah. I can see that your message was intended for Rose. However, if you click on the blue name you will be able to see that the person has not been active on this website since sometime last year. So it is possible that they might not see it.
If they have it linked to their email address then they may get a message that someone has replied to their post, and log in. Fingers crossed for you. Katharine.