Pen Hank Winder and Beamer

[Davidjnr]

I am currently continuing my family history research and coming across all forms of lost occupations that I would like to share:

I have come across a Beamer,
A Pen Hank Winder and Silk Winder
A Stoker, Firebreaker and Fireman on the Railways?.

Does anyone know of good sites to research more about these occupations?

Have a great day everyone :-)

[CaroleW]

A Beamer was a person employed in the textile trade to wind the warp on the roller before putting it on the loom

A stoker tended the fire of an engine boiler

A fireman stoked the boilers on locomotives

This is from a book I bought at a FHS fair

[stanmapstone]

From " A Dictionary of Occupational Terms"
A Beamer minded a beaming machine which wound warp yarns from bobbins on to revolving beams, i.e. larger bobbins in preparation for warp dressing process; or from one set of beams, or from sectional or chain warps, on to weaver's beam in preparation for weaving or for lace making; placed one or more beamsin the supports of the machine; guided each separate thread through guide eyes, or through a comb or reed, to keep it in position while it was being wound on to the beam; set the machine in motion; stopped the machine when beams were full, and removed full beams; sometimes also kept creels attached to machine supplied with bobbins full of yarn.

Stan

[stanmapstone]

A Hank Winder wound the yarn from hanks or skiens on to bobbins, pirns or cheeses, ready for warping or for use as weft.

Stan

[stanmapstone]

Silk winder is a general term for an operative who minded any type of winding frame, winding thrown silk or spun silk yarn, usually specifically designated, according to the way in which the silk was wound e.g. bobbin winder, cone winder, cop winder, pin winder, pirn winder, plug winder, quill winder.

Stan

[Davidjnr]

Thank you...these details make everything so much more personal and interesting...i'm going to browse my census notes and will add more here to share if you are interested :-)

For examples has anyone ever heard of a Tatter in/off Washing?

I also have an appearance of a Platedown?

[stanmapstone]

One definition of a Tatter  is a refuse-gatherer, a rag-collector.

Stan

[Davidjnr]

One definition of a Tatter  is a refuse-gatherer, a rag-collector.

Stan

Oh my...that's emm...interesting...LoL

[LizzieW]

A Hank Winder wound the yarn from hanks or skiens on to bobbins, pirns or cheeses, ready for warping or for use as weft.

When I worked part time evenings when the children were young at British Celanese, if someone was off sick, I and the other woman I worked with would have to go into the weaving shed and help out.  We used to do the job described above, but at that time it was called a Pirn Winder!  It was a soul destroying job.  There was a long line of these hanks of cotton which had to be put onto the pirns and kept spinning round to wind properly.  The cotton frequently broke and you would just get them all spinning, when cotton at the other end of the row would break.  It felt like those variety acts where they used to spin plates on sticks and had to keep rushing up and down to keep them all going!  And the noise in the weaving shed was unbearable.

Lizzie