dock runner

[dafpilot]

hello all,
            after spending a good 1/4 hour trying to work out what the guy who took the 1901 census wrote, it seems that my g-uncle charles wilson was a Dock Runner, can anybody tell me what that would have involved??

 regards
            dafpilot

[josephinemary]

Have you got the details of Charles Wilson to look up this census?
Josie

[stanmapstone]

Runners were usually specifically designated according to the goods carried.For example a Deal Runner, or Runnerman or Carrier was a Porter who carried deal planks on his back shoulder or head between the quay, ship or warehouse or about dock premises.

Stan

[dafpilot]

hello josephinemary,
                             1901 southampton census, ed9 h/hold schedule 196, is that of any help??, cos by the time I got that far my eyes were going blurry, I just wish they took the details and printed them instead of a large spider dragging the pen around for them!!
regards
        dafpilot

[stanmapstone]

From "A dictionary of Occupational Terms"
A carrier, aka runner, runnerman, was a porter who carried goods on his back, shoulder or head between the quay, ship or warehouse, or about dock premises generally; usually specifically designated according to the goods carried, etc. e.g bag carrier, deal carrier, fish box carrier, fruit carrier, pitprop, prop or pitwood carrier, potato carrier, timber carrier.


Stan

[dafpilot]

hello Stan,
               thanks for that, that must of been in the days when they did run in the docks (haha), my grandfather used to cycle from michlemarsh near romsey every morning just to see if he could get a days work, he used to set out around half two in the morning just to be sure of being at the front when they threw out the tallies, after being in the trenches in ww1, and the strain of long days and that bike ride it was no wonder he died of a heart attack, again thanks for your help,
  regards
            dafpilot