I've started this new thread from the inspiration of another...
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,31004.0.htmlMy own fascination in "potters" and earthenware dealers comes from my Anderson, Robinson, & Lowther ancestors from Cumberland and Northumberland.
There seems to be different kinds of pot or earthenware hawkers/dealers.
Those that had shop oulets and those that travelled a route plying a trade village to village.
In my family I have a <A HREF="
http://fallon.rootschat.net/163.html">Henry Lowther</A> who seemed to be a man of means, owning properties in Wigton and Ulverston. He is listed in Pigots so I presume he had an outlet in Wigton. Another chap <A HREF="
http://fallon.rootschat.net/161.html">Thomas Robinson</A> who owned a warehouse outside Carlisle at Brunstock - possibly the trade side of the dealing?
Other members of the family always seem to be on the move. Children born in many different parishes. Living in tents and caravans on the census.
One thing I've found is that whenever I find a "potter" or "Earthenware dealer" in Cumberland I can normally trace a relationship to my Lowthers.
This made me think was there a dynastic control over the trade? Anyway that's the basis for why I'm interested.
Way back when it is my belief that my ancestors came from gypsy ancestry. I have been in touch with one person with the same name who until a few decades ago still ploughed a trade in caravans in the north of England. He believes the Lowthers are connected to Lee, Herron and Lovell families of southern England and Wales.
So I am going to attempt to gather as much info on the hawkers and dealers of pots, earthenware and glass.
This is where I need your help!Do you have any Hawkers or dealers in your tree?
If you do and you want to include data please post here. The Earthenware Dealers seem easy to find as they appear in Directories but the Hawkers and travelling hawkers/dealers are harder to pin down.
Have you found them from census, BMD certs, MI, directories etc?
What other occupations of this vein have you found on census etc?
I've seen
Potter (Cumberland), Hawker of Pots, Earthenware Dealer, Dealer of China, Hawker of small wares, Glass Merchant, China Merchant, Merchant of stoneware, Hawker of Crockery, Pedlar of China. I want to map all the names - see how big a dynasty there was - if there was one!
December 18th 1841 CP : At Longtown on the 7th inst, Mr Thomas Anderson, potter, at the age of 79 years. The deceased was well known in the adjoining counties in his profession. Transcript from http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/longtown19/ Excellent Site!Nice photo...http://www.thepotteries.org/descriptive_account/hanley/37a.htm