A carpenter by any other name?

[Jill Eaton]

Just more of a general query. I've been trying to locate an ancestor James Williams for some time. I won't go into detail as Rootschatters have made valiant attempts to locate him before.

On his son's marriage certificate in 1863 in Westminster London his occupation is down as "carpenter"

So my query is:
Were carpenters also known as any other occupation/job title? This may help to locate a possible candidate on one of the census. The term "carpenter" hasn't really given any useful leads.

I don't know where he came from nor his date of birth so I'm not expecting any Rootschatters to try to identify him.

Simply some ideas on alternative job titles for a carpenter.

Thanks for any ideas and contribution.

[Kiltpin]

A Joiner, A Cabinet Maker, An Arkwright, A Woodsmith and a Crater.

Possibly a Turner, or a Lathesmith, or even a Bodger.

Regards

Chas

[Jill Eaton]

A Joiner, A Cabinet Maker, An Arkwright, A Woodsmith and a Crater.

Possibly a Turner, or a Lathesmith, or even a Bodger.

Regards

Chas

Some terms in there I'm definitely not familiar with!

[suzard]

Also a Sawyer
I once looked up for someone who was  convinced her family were all Lawyers !! They were in fact Sawyers - it didn't go down well with her!!

Suz

[KGarrad]

I wouldn't dismiss Shipwrights, either

[stanmapstone]

From the OED
Carpenter;  ‘An artificer in wood’ (Johnson); as distinguished from a joiner, cabinet-maker, etc., one who does the heavier and stronger work in wood, as the framework of houses, ships, etc.
He could also  build framework and undercarriages of threshing machines, straw elevators, and other agricultural machines, and fits the parts together.
Joiner;  A craftsman whose occupation it is to construct things by joining pieces of wood; a worker in wood who does lighter and more ornamental work than that of a carpenter, as the construction of the furniture and fittings of a house, ship, etc.


Stan

[Kiltpin]

A Cooper.
Regards

Chas

[Jill Eaton]

I appreciate it doesn't necessarily follow and ancestors/descendants do move up and down the social ladder but as the son John was a labourer it seems a little unlikely that the father would have been considerably more skilled. So I think carpentry, as in heavy woodwork, would perhaps be more likely than the more skilled joiner.

I imagine there may even have been times where James was simply a labourer?

[cristeen]

I have one in my tree who is variously described as a carpenter, joiner or wright in baptism records. I think a cooper was more specialised, ie. barrel production, so some metal working involved also