a sedentary traveller?

[frenchdressing]

On my gt grandad John Jones's  marriage cert. his father is named Henry Jones, occupation; traveller.
I always thought a traveller was a category of people not an occupation. On top of that, he didn't seem to travel very much. He was born in Worcestershire and I've found him on the 1861 and 71 censuses living in Shropshire in the same municipal ward of Madeley, occupation; labourer. I haven't found him on the 1881 although he wasn't deceased in 1885 when John married.
What kind of a traveller could he have been?
This is the first traveller in my tree and was a surprise.
Any thoughts on the subject would be most welcome.
Regards,
Pat

[wend66]

I think an occupation as a traveller was what we would now think of as a sales rep

Wendy

[Berlin-Bob]

Hi Pat,

I think traveller has two (main) meanings, whereby both definitions can have many variations and graduations

1) A 'commercial traveller', (or sales rep., as Wendy says)
A proper commercial traveller would represent a firm or firm(s) and visit shops and other businesses, to take orders which his firm(s) would deliver.

Or he might actually sell direct, from door-to-door, but then he would be more likely to be called a hawker or peddler (but 'traveller' sounds more up-market, more 'posh'  )

2) As described on this board, romanies, gypsies, circus people, etc, etc.


Your guy sounds more like the first definition: away from home a lot (on business), but with a permanent address.

see this one as well:

A traveler was a person who went from town to town taking orders for the product he was selling, as in a Commercial Traveler.
As John was shown as a Hawker he has probably made it sound a bit more up market, but would have been going from door to door in villages and towns selling the slippers.
I don't think " Traveler " was in reference to being a Romany, (Travelling People)
Patricia

Bob

[oldcrone]

hi Pat

It would seem that both Bob and Wendy's posts seem to tie up with the definition of 'traveller' that I've found on an 'old occupations' website:

'Traveller:  1) A Gypsy   2) Travelling salesman'

I think there may be a bit of confusion because it's PC to call Gypsies/Roms 'Travellers' at the moment, so the use of the label 'travellers' in the 19th century might have been a bit different.

Clara