Slubpuddler?

[martin mosley]

I have a number of ancestors who's trade or occupation is shown on census documents as Slubpuddler. Dos anyone know what this occupation might have entailed? Many thanks

Martin

[Bryan.]

Hi

Cannot find Slubpuddler....but found these which may indicate it was something to do with the cotton trade.

SLUBBER
A person who operated the machine used to prepare cotton for spinning.
SLUBBER DOFFER
A person who removed the bobbins from the spindles in the mills.

Bryan

[martin mosley]

Thanks Brian,

Though I would be surprised if this related to cotton since I believe my family to have been connected to the iron and steel manufacturing business, I wonder whether puddling has anything to do with the making of moulds for cast iron? ie; puddling clay???

[miss marple]

Puddling was definitely to do with iron, though I don't know about the "slub" bit. There's a useful reply on RootsChat by Steve Ley (I don't know how to quote the thread I'm afraid so I hope he forgives me! The topic's "1861/71 Staffordshire" under "Census Look-up and Resource Requests"):

"From http://scottishancestral.com/historical_trades.htm
Puddler
A puddler was a person who operated a puddling or ball furnace in which pig or scrap iron was refined to produce wrought iron. The work would involve lining the furnace with oxide of iron, lighting the furnace, adjusting controls to raise the temperature to the correct heat for melting the pig iron, stirring the molten metal with heavy iron paddles known as 'robbles' until the oxidised carbon silicon and manganese were removed and the metal began to solidify and working the metal with the robbles to form balls weighing about 100 lbs."

Does this help?

Jane

[Nessie]

For what it is worth, slub is a lump or piece that stands up in a legnth of wosted or cotten material. Sometimes the material is intened to have these pieces for decoration, but if the material is supposed to be smooth, the slubs are picked out.

[martin mosley]

Thank you both, I think that Jane has found the likely meaning of the term in respect of my own ancestors, since they worked for several generations in the iron and steel industry. Clearly not easy work, and I dread to think of the conditions they must have endured!

[Jane Eden]

Could it be slab puddler?

Jane

[martin mosley]

I Don't think so since I have numerous independent references over several census periods, and it appears clear that slubpuddler was anoccupation associated with the iron and steel industries. Gradually, with the help of roots chatters the mists are clearing.... perhaps watch this space to learn more about an occupation that has almost certainly disappeared.

[Llwyd]

I think you may find the occupation is Slag Puddler and it is definitely connected to the steel industry.
Have a look at the following site:

www.geocities.com/jenks436/puddler.html

Best of luck in your research.