Hawker of pots/earthenware

[Dolgellau]

I am quite exited by the fact that there are so many other family history researchers who are descended from pot hawkers, who seem to share an interest in the work that they did and the sources for tracing their whereabouts and tracing their families.

I have heard about “One Name Studies” where enthusiasts of the same name collect all available data about a single name. Is there such a thing as a “One Job Study” whereby we can all contribute to a data bank of all the potters that we come across (in the same way that a ONS can contribute to all the POTTERS that they find)?

My biggest brick wall is a family of potters who I have in the 1851 census in Cemaes Montgomeryshire, but I can’t find anywhere in 1841, 1861, 1871, etc. When one considers the itinerant nature of a hawkers work it is not surprising that they can’t be found from one census to the next using “normal” research methods.

If there are other one job studies available I would like to know about them  and how they work so that we descendants of pot hawkers can collect our data together on one Website, in one archive or however these things are done – I’m sure that it would be a worthwhile project that might benefit all of us.

[jean Sandra]

Hi,

good idea for a site of 'one job studies'.
My Challenors were also very elusive and are difficult to trace from one census to another.
In fact no matter how hard I try I can't find William and his sons Enoch and William in any census but 1841 in Hyde.
Richard his other son can't be found in 1841, 1851. He was in Hyde in 1981, Furness Vale in 1861 and 1871.
There was another family of Challenors in Macclesfield who were hawkers but I can't prove that they were related.
It still intrigues me as to what they did with their pots. They must have stored them and they must have been difficult to source, transport and sell.
Jean Sandra

[KathyM]

In my late grandfather's diaries - he was born 1901 in West Yorkshire - he writes about the various traders who called - around 1910-20 - one of them was 'the Pot Man' - he had a horse and cart - he travelled on a regular route and carried all sorts of household goods - a bit like a travelling hardware shop - not only did he carry pots - that is 'pint pots, mugs, cups, plates & saucers' - but utensils, pans, soap, cleaning materials, candles, etc.....my grandfather said they would buy matches from him.....depending on which sort he had with him - he liked a particular brand of match - because the boxes were used to make into toys - and they were the 'best boxes'.

[jean Sandra]

Kathy,
that's amazing!
yes, I can imagine hawkers carrying their pots on a cart it explains a lot.
Your Grandfather's diaries must be wonderful, what a treasured posession to have.
Thanks very much for the shared information
Regards
jean Sandra

[chrisjen]

It was very interesting to read all your comments about "hawkers", we recently started to trace my husband's family, and my mother-in-law had always said her grandmother had a stall selling earthenware, china, bric-a-brac in Swansea Market.   We haven't proved this, but we have found my husband's g-g-grandfather, whose surname was Gregory, who is listed on the census' from 1861 to 1891 as a "hawker"  and an "earthenware dealer"together with his first and second wife who must have worked with him.   He was born at Diseworth, Leicester, but the rest of the family were  Ag Labs, apart from his brother who became a fishmonger!!   The Swansea Potteries were famous, but the high end of the market, so I suppose he sold more everyday items.   Anyway, on with the quest.........

Regards,
Chris

[jean Sandra]

hi,
my Challenor ancestors were hawkers/earthenware dealers.
I often wondered if they had market stalls in  Hyde, where they lived for part of their lives does have a market but whether records remain I don't know.
In fact I don't know if the market goes back as far as 1837, when the first reference to William Challenor appears in a trade directory as a dealer in earthenware and glass.
the family came from Staffordshire and I often wonder if they were dealing with earthenware produced by a factory with the name Challinor. I don't suppose there is any way of finding out.
Jean Sandra

[Boongie Pam]

Must be the time of year when I start to think about my potters 

I've been googling for earthenware dealers and Lowthers/Robinson and guess what this thread is the top hit!!!

Would anybody be interested in getting involved in a wee project on on this occupation?

I thought just as a starter it would be nice to collect together all the family names of known earthenware dealers - from Pigots, census etc and put them on a map?  I thought I would try to put a webpage together where all the chatters who have an interest in the families could be listed with their names in the counties/parishes?

Since these are travelling folk it may help future researchers? 

What do you think?

Interested?

Pam
 

[carol8353]

Hi Pam....and others 

I have recently discovered that my Bailey ancestors from Biddulph in Staffs were pot hawkers and earthenware dealers. Like Jean Sandra,I hadn't really thought what the difference was.I presumed beacuse they were from Staffs it would automatically be china/pottery items.

And like Jean mine too moved to Macclesfield,via Congleton (they must have known each other Jean!)

Loved the picture on the front of the book Pam- I think I'll try and find out more about these Baileys from Biddulph.

Carol

[sem73]

Hi All

Interesting topic!!......I too have found rellies in the same job....few details at the mo...sorry not as detailed as alot of you have already found out 

What I have so far.........

Of my g g g grandfather's wife...in 1851..

Pheobe Morelee 47 Earthenware dealer as was her daughter Ann aged 16 living in Mold, Flintshire, North Wales.

Pheobe and a couple of daughters appear in later census as earthenware dealers or hawkers in and around the same town.

Nearly all the men appear as coal miners until 1870s when most moved to nearby Buckley and were in the brick industry........all the way along until my own father working in brick kilns in Buckley during the 1960's.........clay seemed to be the way to go in my family!!!  LOL

This thread has certainly made me think about their jobs and to find out more about the earthenware dealers / hawkers that were in my family

Sarah