Master Hairdressers

[chirp]

This is a follow-up to my previous post. First off an apology to the Guild of Hairdressers who had indeed replied to me by email but I had failed to see it!! (Must have had a "senior moment"). It seems that the Guild of Hairdressers was established in 1892 but most of the early records were lost in a flood. The records they do have are mostly 20th C.

From the Barber Surgeons Co. I have received a list of suggested reading on the subject of barbers and hairdressers. Here it is for the benefit of other researchers:

The Barber's Shop by  R W Procter (London 1883)

At the Sign of the Barber's Pole by William Andrews (Cottingham 1904)

An Illustrated Dictionary of Hairdressing and Wigmaking by J Stevens Cox (London 1966)

A Nineteenth Century Barber's Shop by Stephanie Jones in 'Business Archives' Magazine, November 1988

Old Occupations: Peruque Makers by Barbara Given in Family Tree Magazine, January 1997.

The Guild of Hairdressers: a hundred years of hairdressing by S Henson in 'The Guild Hairdresser' Vol 1 no 1 (1982?)

Chirp

[BJNR1]

One of my great great great grandfathers was Thomas Ransley a Hairdresser, who besides being a bigamist with families in London and Nottingham, seemingly travelled widely mainly in the pursuit of his occupation. He had children born in Tunbridge Kent, London, Coventry & Leicester. According to census records, his daughter Ellen declared she was born in London, Coventry and Sheffield which would indicate that she had travelled around when very young in pre-railway England.

I have yet to discover when Thomas was active in his hairdressing business but he was apparently born in circa 1770 and had died prior to 1838. He appeared to remain in London after 1801 where 4 of his sons were born.

Was there a Hairdresser's organisation in the early 19th century and would such Journeymen be registered in any way?

Thanks
BJNR1

[behindthefrogs]

Was there a Hairdresser's organisation in the early 19th century and would such Journeymen be registered in any way?

Thanks
BJNR1

A journeyman by definition is someone who has completed his apprenticeship but has not yet established himself as a master at his trade.  It has nothing to do with travelling.

Thus the answer to your question is to find out where he carried out his apprenticeship and so whether his indentures were held by a particular Guildhall. 

David

[LizzieW]

David

From census, it would appear my g.g.grandfather was an apprentice in Boston, Lincolnshire in 1841.  From what the Guild of Hairdressers said to Chirp, the Guild of Hairdressers wasn't established until 1892, so where would his indentures be held, or weren't they given any until 1892?

Lizzie

[behindthefrogs]

Did Boston have a Guildhall?  In that case I would be looking for its records in the Lincolnshire Record Office.  Even if there was no Guildhall, that would be the place to start as there may be other apprenticeship records held there.

David

[LizzieW]

Thanks David.  Yes Boston did (does) have a Guildhall.  I'll contact Lincs Record Office to see if they have any records of Indentures.

Lizzie

[BJNR1]

Thanks David,

I realised that Journeyman was a job description of someone having attained a qualification such as Butcher, Baker, Bootmaker & indeed Hairdresser each of which appear in my tree . I'm not sure whether my Thomas was ever a Master Hairdresser, if he was a Sole Proprietor or a just a Journeyman. 

I guess my aim is to find if, when and where he was indentured. Probably in London or Tonbridge.

Brian

[StephEv]

Hi All,
This is a fascinating thread as my Great Grandfather was a Hairdresser, a John Merryman Moore. In the 1891 Census he is in Winchester, 1901 living in Lichfield Road,Bow and guess what in the 1911 Census still living in Lichfield Road, he is a Master Hairdresser. Would be fascinated to learn as to just where he may have worked? Cheers, Stephen

[Lei]

Hi Everyone,

I was originally looking to find the thread about watermen & lightermen, and I found this one.

On the 1901 census, I found my Gt x2 Grandfather Arthur R Broadurst, occupation hairdresser, living in Croydon, Surrey. It says he worked from home?? My aunt told me that he was widowed soon after, left with 5 young kids & ended up in debtors prison, tho I've not found records of this myself. I've not found much else on him after this.