sheet, iron or steel erector

[pet50ite]

My grandfather, Richard Bernard Dowling is listed on his 1917 gateshead wedding certificate as a sheeter and erector (iron works). On his childrens' birth certificates (newcastle 1917-1923) he is listed as an iron erector and an engineer (sheeting and erecting).
Does anybody know what this job involves and whether he would have been working for a particular company.
I'm also interested to know whether he would have learnt his trade in his home town of Dublin, Ireland or whether he would have had to go to England to train.

[stanmapstone]

From "A Dictionary of Occupational Terms"
Erector; assembles, fits together and erects machines, engines, structural work, etc., and makes any necessary adjustments in course of erecting; does not prepare or make parts for erecting; uses hand tools, spanner, hammer, screw driver; works usually from blue prints and specificatons; sometimes specificaly designated; .........sheeter erector.....


Stan

[pet50ite]

Thank you Stan. This has given me a rough idea of what the job entails.

[amazon510]

Maybe he learned the trade in the shipyards in Dublin?

[pet50ite]

I knew Dublin was a port, but stupidly, i t never occurred to me that there was a shipyard. This does sound like the probable way to get into the business.

[amazon510]

My grandfather was apprenticed to our local dockyard when he was 17, in 1926, that's what made me think of it.  I actually have his apprenticeship papers - he was apprenticed as an "engineer" (the other option being boilermaker) for a term of 5 years.  Maybe apprenticeship papers have survived somewhere for your grandfather?

J.

[pet50ite]

Thank you for the further info. When I next go to Dublin I will search for apprenticeship records for my grandfather.

[Debbie Wulff]

Thank you for the dictionary definition. My Grandfather is listed on the 1945 voters list in Canada as being an erector. We have no idea what this would be. My Dad said that at the time he may have been working for DeHaviland making aircraft. Do you think this job description would fit into this type of work?