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General => The Common Room => The Lighter Side => Topic started by: Westy11 on Thursday 12 April 18 13:36 BST (UK)

Title: What was Thomas SKETCHLEY's occupation in 1812 Coleorton, Leicstershire
Post by: Westy11 on Thursday 12 April 18 13:36 BST (UK)
I am wondering if anyone knows the occupation of Thomas SKETCHLEY of Coleorton in 1812?

It looks like Pot Carrier and if so I haven't as yet located a definition or explanation for what a Pot Carrier did and in what industry [perhaps Coal]?

Westy
Title: Re: What was Thomas SKETCHLEY's occupation in 1812 Coleorton, Leicstershire
Post by: SmallTownGirl on Thursday 12 April 18 13:39 BST (UK)
Pot carrier ?

Title: Re: What was Thomas SKETCHLEY's occupation in 1812 Coleorton, Leicstershire
Post by: Viktoria on Thursday 12 April 18 13:48 BST (UK)
 Leicsteshire is not the most well known place for pottery,not to say there were no potteries there .
If he worked in a pottery he would carry high piles of unfired pots to the kilns and  possibly fired ones back.
Sometimes the pots were carried on the head.
Otherwise he could have worked in a public house,carrying pots(pint pots)of beer or empty ones, but that occupation was more usually called a potman.
See if there were potteries in Leicstershire.
Best of luck.
                      Viktoria.
Title: Re: What was Thomas SKETCHLEY's occupation in 1812 Coleorton, Leicstershire
Post by: Westy11 on Thursday 12 April 18 13:55 BST (UK)
Thanks Viktoria.  :)

On the page that recorded Thomas's son Williams birth were other Pot Carrier's.

Westy
Title: Re: What was Thomas SKETCHLEY's occupation in 1812 Coleorton, Leicstershire
Post by: CarolA3 on Thursday 12 April 18 16:01 BST (UK)
This is interesting:  http://www.coleorton.org.uk/pottery.html

Carol

Added:  I haven't read all of the archaeological report, but on page 6 it states that the site 'was first leased for coalmine works prior to the change to the manufacture of pottery in 1835'.  If there were several 'pot carriers' in Coleorton in 1812, they weren't working in the pottery industry but could have been coal miners.
Title: Re: What was Thomas SKETCHLEY's occupation in 1812 Coleorton, Leicstershire
Post by: Guyana on Thursday 12 April 18 23:10 BST (UK)
It was not unusual for coal mines and "potbanks" to be linked. The act of mining often revealed useful quantities of workable clay.
Title: Re: What was Thomas SKETCHLEY's occupation in 1812 Coleorton, Leicstershire
Post by: nanville on Friday 13 April 18 07:19 BST (UK)
Pot carrier could also have to do with a foundry worker?
Title: Re: What was Thomas SKETCHLEY's occupation in 1812 Coleorton, Leicstershire
Post by: solidrock on Friday 13 April 18 07:34 BST (UK)
 The Pot Carriers (1962) directed by Peter Graham Scott • Film + cast ...
https://letterboxd.com/film/the-pot-carriers/

New inmate Rainbow has just been imprisoned for a year for his part in a fight over his girlfriend Wendy. After being assigned to kitchen duty, he becomes involved in a food-trading racket. When the scheme is betrayed to the prison's governor, its prime mover is threatened with an extended sentence - unless Rainbow can ... ;D
Title: Re: What was Thomas SKETCHLEY's occupation in 1812 Coleorton, Leicstershire
Post by: Viktoria on Friday 13 April 18 10:25 BST (UK)
This is interesting:  http://www.coleorton.org.uk/pottery.html

Carol

Added:  I haven't read all of the archaeological report, but on page 6 it states that the site 'was first leased for coalmine works prior to the change to the manufacture of pottery in 1835'.  If there were several 'pot carriers' in Coleorton in 1812, they weren't working in the pottery industry but could have been coal miners.
Don`t know what happened to my reply-----but I was agreeing the pottery was too  late  for the census you are looking at.
                                       Viktoria.
Title: Re: What was Thomas SKETCHLEY's occupation in 1812 Coleorton, Leicstershire
Post by: Viktoria on Friday 13 April 18 10:35 BST (UK)
Yes,the date is too early for there to have been a pottery there.
Just looked in The Oxford Dictionary and it says Publican`s Assistant,so a possibility there.
I wonder if there were other fairly near potteries as there was probably clay in the area.,              To transport china clay from far afield would have created expense.
Hope you solve the mystery.
                                                          Viktoria.
Title: Re: What was Thomas SKETCHLEY's occupation in 1812 Coleorton, Leicstershire
Post by: BumbleB on Friday 13 April 18 10:40 BST (UK)
This could be a total red herring, but - A Dictionary of Old Trades, Titles and Occupations -

pott(er) carrier = chemist

Title: Re: What was Thomas SKETCHLEY's occupation in 1812 Coleorton, Leicstershire
Post by: Westy11 on Friday 13 April 18 12:43 BST (UK)
Hello all an thank you for your input.

I had seen the Pott[er] carrier explanation and not too sure its applicable in this instance.  I get the impression Thomas and his family were at the bottom or near to the bottom of the food chain.

The movie looks fascinating.  If I ever find a confirmed answer to the question I will come back and post it.

Westy
Title: Re: What was Thomas SKETCHLEY's occupation in 1812 Coleorton, Leicstershire
Post by: ankerdine on Saturday 14 April 18 17:30 BST (UK)
If you follow CarolA3's link there are some Census records for Coleorton. On the 1851 there is a family named "Skitchley". Using that name instead of Sketchley on FindMyPast some Thomas Skitchleys pop up. I don't have a subscription at the moment to research further but maybe someone on here would kindly help?

I'm interested in the Sketchleys too but mine moved from Leicester to Nottingham. I'm trying to find Timothy Sketchley after the 1841 Census but he too disappears.

Good Luck.

Judy
Title: Re: What was Thomas SKETCHLEY's occupation in 1812 Coleorton, Leicstershire
Post by: Westy11 on Monday 16 April 18 04:07 BST (UK)
Thanks so much Judy.  PM on its way.