Being thrown by 'occupation' on birth certificates

[kevinf2349]

George Ferguson married Ann Watson in 1835 (Stockton Record No: 342926.1). The 1841 Census show George & Ann Ferguson living in Dacre Street, Middlesbrough with a 6 year old daughter named Jane. George's occupation is listed as a Coal Trimmer which ties in with his occupation in the 1851 census and at his death in 1857.(1841 census of England, Dacre Street, Middlesbrough, folio 9, page 12, George Ferguson (Head); PRO HO 107/1258/3.)  In the 1851 census it shows him and his family living in Pilot Street, Stranton (West Hartlepool) and shows that the family has grown somewhat.(1851 census of England, 295 Pilot Street, Stranton, folio 157, page 74, George Ferguson (Head); PRO HO 107/2384).  The family group now comprises of Jane (aged 16), Thomas (aged 6), George (aged 4) and Robert (aged 1). Thomas and George show as being born in Middlesbrough and Robert born in Stranton. All well and good so far. I decided to order the GRO certificates for the children. Thomas (JUN 1844 Stockton 24 253), George (SEP 1846 Stockton 24 274), Robert (actually William Robert SEP 1849 Houghton-le-Spring 24 198).
When I got the certificates they confused me. All the certificates show that their father was George and their mother was Ann nee Watson so unless there is another identically named couple I am fairly sure that this is the correct family group. The only thing is that Thomas' shows George's occupation as 'Potter' and the registration district is Yarm. The Yarm part comes as no surprise as the family is from around that area. Of course the Stockton/Yarm/Middlesbrough area is a confusing area anyway in terms of which belongs to what district and county so I tend to allow leeway there. George being listed as a 'Potter' is a total surprise, especially as prior to that he was a Coal Trimmer. On to George. Now George's certificate lists his father's occupation as 'Trimmer' which I assume is the same as a coal trimmer. The family are still in Yarm and I am confident that this is a correct member of the Ferguson family. Now William Robert is shown as born in Newbottle, Houghton-le-Spring. His father's occupation is listed as 'Husbandsman'. A total change from Trimmer, in an area that I have so far not been able to connect them with (it could be Ann's family up there but I haven't proved that yet). Now in 1861 (after George had passed away) the family shows three additional children (Mary Ann, Watson and John James). I know for a fact that Watson is correct even though it is listed as Walter!) as he is my paternal great grandfather. John James' certificate I still haven't ordered, however I have got Mary Ann's and that lists her father as George, mother as Ann (nee Watson) and father's occupation as 'Labourer'. They are living in Pilot Street, Stranton so I am confident that this one is correct too. Now whilst researching Mary Ann I discovered another Mary Ann that was born in 1848 to a George and Ann Ferguson (nee Watson) in Yarm. She sadly died after only 4 hours. The father's occupation is what is truly throwing me...he is listed as 'Innkeeper'. I understand that people change jobs and all that but going from potter to trimmer to inn keeper to husbandman to labourer and back to coal trimmer would on the surface seem to be unlikely and yet this is what the certificates are implying. Is is that unusual for folks to have moved around and changed jobs so dramatically back in the 1840's?  What does 'Innkeeper' actually mean? Does it mean he owned the Inn or merely worked there? The address given is Commercial Street, Middlesbrough so maybe this is the Inn address? If it weren't for the 'Innkeeper' part I would be confident that I had the right person. Equally if it weren't for the Newbottle part of William Robert's BC is would be confident of the correct person.

Any thought/comments would be welcome.

Have a blessed day.

Kevin

[cristeen]

I don't think the change in occupation is too much of a problem. I have more than one instance of folk having several quite different occupations. I think it was a matter of necessity at times, any work was better than none in your 'chosen' trade. I have one guy in particular, born into a farming family in 1827, 1841 census he is a farmers son, 1851 census a drapers assistant, 1855 a draper on first marriage, 1857 baptism record, a publican and on his wife's death 1858, an innkeeper. He remarries in 1861 as a farmer and by 1862 is a woodsman. From then until 1873 he is a joiner on baptism records, apart from a blip in 1864 when he is a labourer and on the 1871 census is also an ironstone miner. On his final child's baptism he is a shopkeeper.
Quite a variety, and no apparent logic to the progression although his first wife's father was a cabinet maker and her uncle was a joiner/ innkeeper so I guess that underpins some of his work choices

[Maiden Stone]

I don't know about how people in that area made a living. However in a part Lancashire I'm familiar with, small tenant farmers & their families in 1st half of 19thC also worked in textile industry. Sometimes a man's occupation was stated as farmer, other times weaver or crofter (croft bleacher). Weaving was a cottage industry but by late 18thC there were small mills where ag. labs worked in winter when there wasn't much farming work. Some farmers and their sons might also be quarriers as there were stone quarries nearby. There were also several small coal mines dotted around, some probably drift mines. None of the farmers I researched so far mentioned coal-mining. However, quarrying and coal-mining were occupations with transferable skills.

Innkeepers generally leased an inn. I have a line of yeoman innkeepers early 18th-19th centuries; lease of their inn + land + cottage(s) passed to the heirs. The inn was in a small, quiet town. The inn wasn't busy until late 18thC so successive innkeeper had another part-time occupation. Wife & children would look after inn during daytime. This was common practice. Visitors to the town and the inn increased greatly from late 18thC. Sons of my 4xGGF (who had the inn until 1824) worked at the inn and their occupations were "innkeeper" in parish registers. Youngest son, my 3xGGF was only 19 or 20 at the time. A few months later his occupation was labourer on another document. He had 8 different occupations during his life. 2 of the elder sons took leases of inns in other towns for a few years, then set up other businesses and later worked for other firms, including a brewing firm.

Father of a relative was a quarrier in 19thC as were most of his male relatives. He was a beer-house keeper in later life. Perhaps he was no longer fit for quarry work.

[Viktoria]

One of my grandfathers is variously described as :-
    Blacksmith
    Farrier Blacksmith
     Striker for a Blacksmith
      Working for funeral director( he shod the black Friesian horses which pulled the hearse and carriages.Also maintained the carriages.
He did train at an engineering company,well that is what it says on his marriage cert. 1883.
Those occupations were all between 1883 and the 1911 census.
He also fathered 12 children between 1883 and 1910
        Viktoria

       

[barryd]

Ferguson/Watson married Elton, County Durham. Elton St. John, 28 December 1835, George Ferguson married Ann Watson, both of the Parish of Elton. Witnesses Thomas Elcoat and William Watson.

[kevinf2349]

Thank you everyone. I have decided that they really have to be my family. I can't imagine an identically named couple in the same area with the same family member names!

I already have the marriage record for George and Ann but I do thank you for sending it to me.

Best regards
Kevin