what would he be doing?

[dafpilot]

While digging through the Dorset opc pages looking for my Wilson connection I came upon this entry in the Abbotsbury Baptism page

20 June 1833, William, son of Job & Lucy Wilson from punchknowle fathers trade is listed as  "Preventive Man" and I wondered if this was an early form of customs officer as there is a listing for a Preventive office on another entry, would this be a correct assumption?

dafpilot

[tedscout]

I think a Preventive Man was a kind of Police Man.

[stanmapstone]

A Preventative Man was an early customs officer.
From the Oxford English Dictionary
Preventative; Of the coastguard or coastguard officers: concerned with the prevention of smuggling.
Stan

[maidmarianoops]

http://www.hastingschronicle.net/coastguardsSmugglers.html


scroll to the bottom of page if you like
sylvia

[dafpilot]

many thanks to all who have replied to this question, this gives me another topic to dig deeper into, that I find is the most interesting thing about doing this is the varied directions you can take yourself to.

many thanks

dafpilot