A lawyer on the Railways???

[Kazza]

I thought I would share my latest puzzle with you,  see what you think.

One of my ancestors Benjamin Vickery b1846, appears in the 1851 census,  as a 6 year old,  one of twins,  living with his family in the small Devon villiage he appears to have been born in.  I am yet to identify a birth record.  His father as an Ag Lab,  him described as Ag Son.

Then I found him in 1881,  a 36 year old,  married,  with several children,  now moved to Cardiff,  working as a platelayer on the Railways. 

I have found a marriage record that appears to be for this couple,  so I have the Wife's Maiden name,  Sharland.  Her family in 1851 are also living in rural Devon,  father also an Ag Lab.

So you begin to get a picture of the family,  honest working class folks,  sons of the soil,  moved to South Wales on the expansion of the Railways.

Then I looked for them in 1871,  and things got a little more complicated. 

I found Benjamin Vicary,  the family has a history of spelling it various ways but all DoBs and PoBs match,  staying with the Sharlands,  his future in-laws,  but described as a Lawyer. 

So my question is,  how does a lawyer in Devon,  end up as an unskilled Railway worker in South Wales?  Is it likely?  Did lawyers in 1871 hold the same status as today?  Was it likely the son of an Ag Lab would become a lawyer? 

Can there be 2 Benjamin Vickerys,  marrying 2 Mary Ann Sharlands,  born in the same years in the same Devon villiages 

Opinions,  expertise and comments welcomed. 

Kazza.

[Berlin-Bob]

Maybe it's a dialect thing (again). Just been reading a thread here about sussex dialects, http://www.rootschat.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=9576.0  where the enumerator made some right boo-boos, because he couldn't understand the dialect.

maybe Benjamin said "layer" or "mumble-mumble-layer" as in "platelayer, and the enumerator ( long may he .... ! ) understood, and wrote down, "lawyer"

Another (less likely) explanation is that he was a bit of a "barrack room lawyer" among his fellow layers, hence the description ?

... or the enumerator wrote "layer", sloppily, and the transcriber read "lawyer" ?? It's only one letter !

[peterbennett]

Hi Kazza

            Could the 1871 read Sawyer not Lawyer ?
just a thought

peterbennett

[Welsh Jen]

Dear Kazza. It is a possibility that there are 2 families with the same name. It has infact happened to me, with 2 seperate families (and I beleive unrelated) both attended the same R.Catholic Church in Swansea both had similar childrens names both named Mary and Thomas Flynn!!!! quite a nightmare but finally solved the puzzles once the parish registers were disected!

For your information:

Fogger / Pettifogger  1) Peddler. 2) Middleman in the nail and chain trade 3) Agricultural labourer who fed cattle 4) Low class lawyer or "Pettifogger" 
Source: http://www.rmhh.co.uk/occup/f.html

Pettifogger shyster; lawyer
Source: http://www.genproxy.co.uk/trades.htm#p

So Lawyer as we translate Lawyer can be more than just one sort of profession.

Hope this helps you! 

[Kazza]

I knew the Rootschatters would solve it.  

Thank you Bob,  Jen and Peter.  

It is Sawyer.......

Now I feel a bit daft,  I was hoping for a scandal,  disgraced lawyer,  something interesting.  

Take a look at the image,  I may be able to salvage some of my dignity......

Kazza.

[Adi1962]

Kazza,

I have just done the same thing with a lookup for Kiwi-J on Kent board. so don't worry its not your age as I am far far younger 

Lucky to have now read this and corrected.

phew


Adrian

[Kazza]

I felt so stupid when I realised that it was so obviously Sawyer,  I nearly deleted the thread.  I decided to leave it as an object lesson on how easy it is to make assumptions that lead in completely the wrong direction.

Now I am glad I did,  as it has helped someone else. 

BTW,  if 1962 is your year of birth,  I am in fact younger than you.   

Kazza.

[Amy K]

After watching that WDYTYA episode with Sue Johnston...

Alfred, who was born in 1885, was educated privately by a governess. It is clear that James wanted him to get a respectable white-collar job, which he did, as a shipbroker's clerk at the age of 15. But this obviously didn't suit Alfred. He threw it in, and went to work on the railways as a trainee fireman and an engine cleaner.

it is quite possible to believe that in some cases even a lawyer may have ended up on the railways......

[Kazza]

Amy,

Very true,  this is a fascinating and frustrating hobby.  You are torn between never making assumptions and trying to interpret the evidence.  Sometimes a fine line to tread.   

Kazza.