Author Topic: What is a Rag Sorter?  (Read 14477 times)

Offline Kevinshouse

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What is a Rag Sorter?
« on: Thursday 22 January 09 20:16 GMT (UK) »
I have found a family member - occupation Rag Sorter - I know or presume they would have sorted rags, but what for and why? Any help much appreciated
Kind regards Susan

Offline ricky1

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Re: What is a Rag Sorter?
« Reply #1 on: Thursday 22 January 09 20:47 GMT (UK) »
Hi Susan

It might not be just old rags, googling around I found that they also have it down as

Occupation: RAG SORTER (PAPER)

Occupation Rag Sorter, industry Paper Mill

ricky
Ricky (1954 - 2010)

Harby,Garton,Drury,Duncombe,Booth,Catton,Barker, Kirkby, Wilson. Lincolnshire, <br />Also Murkin's, Jeffery,Pettitt,Carter, from Suffolk/Cambridgeshire boarder<br />Census information is Crown Copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline ricky1

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Re: What is a Rag Sorter?
« Reply #2 on: Thursday 22 January 09 20:51 GMT (UK) »
Also found this. although I think its in the USA, but would have thought that they did the same over here ???

http://www.umaine.edu/folklife/wphistory.html

ricky
Ricky (1954 - 2010)

Harby,Garton,Drury,Duncombe,Booth,Catton,Barker, Kirkby, Wilson. Lincolnshire, <br />Also Murkin's, Jeffery,Pettitt,Carter, from Suffolk/Cambridgeshire boarder<br />Census information is Crown Copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline Kevinshouse

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Re: What is a Rag Sorter?
« Reply #3 on: Thursday 22 January 09 20:57 GMT (UK) »
Many thanks for your replies Ricky, my relative Elizaebeth (a great aunt was a rag sorter aged 17 on the 1911 census, but they lived in a small village in the countryside! I wonder where she did her sorting.
Many thanks again for your time
Kind regards Susan


Offline ricky1

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Re: What is a Rag Sorter?
« Reply #4 on: Thursday 22 January 09 21:05 GMT (UK) »
Hi Susan

I aint as old as the 1911 census ;D ;D ;D, but I can remember a woman in our village used to go around collecting  old clothes. She used to remove the buttons etc, and then bag up the clothes/rags and sell them. Perhaps thats all your rellie did ???
Ricky (1954 - 2010)

Harby,Garton,Drury,Duncombe,Booth,Catton,Barker, Kirkby, Wilson. Lincolnshire, <br />Also Murkin's, Jeffery,Pettitt,Carter, from Suffolk/Cambridgeshire boarder<br />Census information is Crown Copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline Keziahemm

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Re: What is a Rag Sorter?
« Reply #5 on: Thursday 22 January 09 21:07 GMT (UK) »
Here's a good site for old occupations

http://rmhh.co.uk/occup/a.html


Susan  :)
Herefordshire: Mytton.
Lincs: Ingham
Northants: Knight (Welford); Linnell;  Gaudern.
Staffs (Brierley Hill, Kingswinford): Wood; Eades.
Somerset: Bailey; Lewis
Warwickshire: (Alcester, Henley in Arden) Lewis; Casey/Keasey
Warwickshire (Birmingham suburbs) Knight
Yorkshire (Bradford):  Ingham


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Offline Christopher

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Re: What is a Rag Sorter?
« Reply #6 on: Thursday 22 January 09 21:10 GMT (UK) »
Hello Susan,

Rag sorters may have been people who sorted old clothes for charitable or commercial purposes I remember people going around Belfast collecting old clothes when I was a child just after the war  I think they may have had a pony and small cart to get to the suburbs ... in the more densely populated parts of the city they may have used hand carts. You knew they were coming as they shouted "Any old rags?"

The rags were sorted into those that were still fit for wear and those that could be used for other purposes. Some people's rags are other people's good clothes. Those that were fit for wear were sold at stalls in markets or in second hand clothing shops. The same thing happens in charity shops today. Items fit for wear are kept and items not fit are bagged up for collection by recycling businesses. The charities receive a payment which is based on the weight of the items passed on to the recyclers.

Christopher

Offline behindthefrogs

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Re: What is a Rag Sorter?
« Reply #7 on: Thursday 22 January 09 22:53 GMT (UK) »
Paper was originally made from rags and so a rag sorter was a normal occupation to be found in a paper mill.

David
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Offline cathaldus

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Re: What is a Rag Sorter?
« Reply #8 on: Friday 23 January 09 15:52 GMT (UK) »
High quality,  high density cartridge paper still has a "rag" content.   Rag sorters were also involved in the "shoddy" market,  where old "rags" were in effect "re-constituted" and re-used,  maybe as filling,  or such things as "flock" mattress covers etc.   There was a thriving industry in the West Riding  of Yorkshire in the production of "shoddy" and I suppose the word itself now expresses it as "being of inferior quality"