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Author Topic: PLATER  (Read 4648 times)

Offline tonks

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PLATER
« on: Monday 05 June 17 16:27 BST (UK) »
The profession of my ancestor Samuel Ketland in 1839 was described as plater. What does this mean? I am grateful for any explanation. Christina

Offline horselydown86

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Re: PLATER
« Reply #1 on: Monday 05 June 17 16:39 BST (UK) »
Quote from: tonks on Monday 05 June 17 16:27 BST (UK)
The profession of my ancestor Samuel Ketland in 1839 was described as plater. What does this mean? I am grateful for any explanation. Christina

It most probably means he worked in the relatively new industry of electroplating.  This was used to apply thin coatings of precious metals to objects made from baser metals.

See:   http://ethw.org/Electroplating

Offline tonks

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Re: PLATER
« Reply #2 on: Monday 05 June 17 16:45 BST (UK) »
That was a fast answer! Thank you very much :)

Offline stanmapstone

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Re: PLATER
« Reply #3 on: Monday 05 June 17 16:48 BST (UK) »
From the OED Plater
1. A person who coats or plates articles with a thin layer of gold, silver, or other metal.
 3. A person employed in the manufacture or application of metal plates, esp. in shipbuilding.

Stan
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Offline medpat

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Re: PLATER
« Reply #4 on: Monday 05 June 17 16:55 BST (UK) »
Where in the country did the plater live?
 :)
GEDmatch M157477

Offline tonks

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Re: PLATER
« Reply #5 on: Monday 05 June 17 18:26 BST (UK) »
He lived in Bloxwich, near Walsall in the West Midlands.
Christina

Offline medpat

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Re: PLATER
« Reply #6 on: Monday 05 June 17 18:46 BST (UK) »
I was born in Bloxwich maternity home.  :)

Not to do with ships then but as electroplating was started around this time in Birmingham perhaps he was this kind of plater.

I did chemical analysis at Wm Bates and Sons, Hospital St, Walsall, said to be Europe's biggest electroplating factory at the time.
 :)
 
Edit - could he be a railway plater?  I'm sure that's a job and the railway was in the Walsall area at this time.
GEDmatch M157477

Offline tonks

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Re: PLATER
« Reply #7 on: Monday 05 June 17 19:09 BST (UK) »
dear medpat, i really don t know. the profession was given on the death certificate.  samuel ketlands son worked as a bit filer in walsall. i have been in walsall in 2009 and i will come back in 3 weeks time on the tracks of my english ancestors. Christina

Offline mazi

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Re: PLATER
« Reply #8 on: Monday 05 June 17 22:01 BST (UK) »
http://www.historywebsite.co.uk/articles/Walsall/industry1.htm

This site has  "plater" in its list of occupations at the beginning of the 19th century, possibly a bit before electroplating started.

His son was a bit filer, the bit being part of a horses harness, along with stirrups, spurs and other horse equipment the site says this was a major industry in Walsall.

If father and son worked for the same factory it is possible that a plater made some specialised piece of horse harness.


Mike
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