Did we really still have "archers" in 1871?

[diplodicus]

In the 1871 census for Llangattock David David Davies appears on page 13 as an "archer".

Is this a bw and arrow job or am I missing something (again )

Malcolm

[Mike in Cumbria]

Seems unlikely, but it does look like Archer.

What was he doing on the other censuses?  Perhaps he was a stonemason who specialised in arches, and was playing games with the census taker.

Mike

[Mike in Cumbria]

In 1881 he was a coalminer.

[GrahamSimons]

Unhelpfully - the OED doesn't offer a masonry definition for the word archer.
Even more unhelpfully there are still archers around - not that your man is likely to have belonged to: http://www.royal.gov.uk/RoyalEventsandCeremonies/Ceremonialbodies/RoyalCompanyofArchers.aspx

[Mike in Cumbria]

Still a collier in 1891.

[carlineric]

Mike you are correct but he wasn't playing games. According to the Dictionary of Occupational Terms "Archer (colliery working); builds of stone and repairs arches of permanent ways in collieries; as for mason"

Eric

[Mike in Cumbria]

Mike you are correct but he wasn't playing games. According to the Dictionary of Occupational Terms "Archer (colliery working); builds of stone and repairs arches of permanent ways in collieries; as for mason"

Eric

Good find, Eric.

[diplodicus]

Wow, thank you chaps. It didn't take you long to find the target. I bow to your wisdom.

Many thanks,
Malcolm