Was he having laugh?

[ABradley]

One of my wife's ancestors lived in Middleton St. Springburn in 1861.
In the census his occupation is described as " a labourer in a Secrit Work". (same spelling)

Does any one know of anything that could have been described as such?

Andrew

[ABradley]

To partly answer my own question..maybe...in 1871 he was working in a Chemical Works.

Andrew

[GR2]

Have you seen the actual entry, or only a transcription? Maybe the transcriber has got it wrong. What was the person's name?

[ABradley]

Hi,

His name was John Carroll. I got the information from Find My Past, not seen the original document.
I have just researched myself and discovered that Sir Charles Tennant had a chemical plant at St Rollox and was at one point manufacturing explosives. So that might account for the job description.

Andrew

[AMBLY]

In the same street (Middleton) in 1861 as your fellow, lived the family of Henery Moneyhan, also transcribed as "Labourer In A Secrit Work".

In 1851, he's Henry Monaghan,  works in the Chemical Works

Fun to imagine though,  Middleton Street, Springburn as  an enclave for 19thC Secret Agents (or Secretarial Clerks)  though   

Cheers
AMBLY

[sancti]

I think it may be a poor transcription of Chemical Works

[ABradley]

Hi,

Did you see the original entry?

Andrew

[sancti]

No! The original is only available on Scotlandspeople