***COMPLETED***What is this occupation please?

[Essex export]

Definitely "shirt". What looks like another letter is just the continuation of the underlining someone has done at some time.

Regards
Andy

[Lloydy]

Thanks again for your replies.

Definitely "shirt". What looks like another letter is just the continuation of the underlining someone has done at some time.

Regards
Andy

Good point, and the more I look at it the more I agree with Shirt.

Welcome to Rootschat Andy - I hope you enjoy this site

Jan

[Lloydy]

I've got another one and thought I'd attach it to this thread.

It's the first occupation - Cook & House ??  What's the last word please?

Should anyone like to see the full image the reference is:
RG13/5199 folio 59 page 9

Jan

[MaryA]

LOL you fooled me, it was Wales!

The reason for wanting to see the original is the magnifying glass which helps quite a bit.  I still think it is shirt but looking at it closely the horizontal line of the X suddenly veers upwards at the end making it look like the downward stroke of an h and the arched bottom bit of the h is actually a long tail on the t.  So I'm positive it's SHIRT.

The other one is harder, but my guess, and it is only a guess is that it's Mrs. so the enumerator means housewife.

Mary

[Lloydy]

Hi Mary

I forgot to mention that it was Wales, oops sorry!!!!

SHIRT it is then!!!!


The second one........yes, I thought it might be a very untidily written Mrs, but I never thought that the enumerator would mean Housewife.  Obviously my crystal ball wasn't working properly

Thanks for your help

Jan

[sparrett]

Hi Jan,
 Don't know if this is relevant, but  I seem to remember from a long ago reading that in Victorian households the Cook was always addressed and known as 'Mrs' regardless of marital state.  This was mark of her rank as chief in the kitchen.

The 'h' is not an 'h' as you can clearly see the 't' lazily connects to the beginning of the next word 'M'  The apparent 'h' is part of the later cross-hatching. 
My 2bob's worth off my chest!
Sue

[JAP]

That's right about Cook being referred to as Mrs regardless of marital status (ditto a Housekeeper who was in charge).  But I think this is a slightly different case.  This lady wasn't simply a Cook.  She was the widowed Aunt of the farmer who was the head of the household - a household which comprised the farmer, his two brothers, the widowed aunt, and one female and two male servants.  The farmer is described as working 'on his own account', the two brothers as 'worker at home', and the three servants as 'worker'.  But in Auntie's case the columns are left blank.  I suspect that the additional description in the occupation column might have been intended to accord Auntie the dignity of being described as the Mistress of the House!

JAP

[Lloydy]

Sue and JAP

Thank you for the explanation of a cook being known as "Mrs" - how interesting!!!!

As well as getting confirmation of the unclear word, I have also learnt something else new

Many thanks to you both

Jan

[philipsearching]

Hallo, Lloydy

My vote would be House Mrs as an abbreviation for House Mistress

All the best
Philip