Occupation tilemaker

[GeoffTurner]

Hi, I am exploring a family in Scotland in 18th-19th century. The father was a weaver originally from Ireland who worked in South Ayreshire. His son was described as a silk weaver/tilemaker during his life, although he was a coal miner on his death certificate. Combining silk weaving with tilemaking seems an odd mix if we are talking about roof or wall tiles. Could there be another sort of tilemaking, related to cloth perhaps, that this refers to? Thanks, Geoff

[Ruskie]

It does seem an odd change of occupation.

This appears to be a fairly comprehensive list, but no mention of it here:
http://sites.rootsweb.com/~usgwkidz/oldjobs.htm

Some people did change occupations though weaving to tile making would require training so probably would not be so common.

Looking at his age, where he lived, and what was going on in that part of the world at the time, would it fit that he took up weaving because his father had been a weaver, the weaving trade took a downturn so he moved into tile making? Similar with coal mining. Maybe he took up whatever job was offered to him at the time? I would also consider how many examples you have of him with that occupation .... for example, one instance on one census may be an error. 

Having said that I have an ancestor who was a cordwainer, then a publican, then became a gardener. I have read similar examples of other’s ancestors, so people sometimes did have vastly different occupations.

[GeoffTurner]

I think my favourite occupation is Times ironer lol. Unfortunately I have the death cert for the father and the son, so am sure of that, but am relying on second-hand information for the son's earlier occupation(s). I just thought I might have been missing something. Update: I have now found the 1841 and 1851 Census returns and he is coal miner on both of them as well as on his 1856 death cert so I think I have been badly informed. Thanks for your interest. Geoff

[Kiltpin]

Just a thought and I am probably totally wrong here - 

At that time was there not a weaving machine controlled by a kind of punch-card system? A long row of these cards were laced together and then fed into the machine. As they progressed through a series of "fingers", or rods, would go through the holes and produce the pattern. The cards could be re-laced in a different configuration, to produce a different pattern.   

Were these cards called tiles? 

Regards 

Chas

[GeoffTurner]

Sounds possible. Thanks. Geoff

[carlineric]

Tile maker probably refers to the making of unglazed drainage tiles which were (are?) used for land drainage. Could the change in occupation be due to a downturn in silk weaving and he had to look for other employment?

Eric

[andrewalston]

At that time was there not a weaving machine controlled by a kind of punch-card system? A long row of these cards were laced together and then fed into the machine. As they progressed through a series of "fingers", or rods, would go through the holes and produce the pattern. The cards could be re-laced in a different configuration, to produce a different pattern.   

Were these cards called tiles? 

Regards 

Chas

The Jacquard loom had a higher status than other types, because the product brought a higher price.

Because of that, it was normal to mention "Jacquard" in the related occupation, so raising one's status too. I have an ancestor who claims to be a "Jacquard Maker", although it is unclear whether he was making the machinery or the card sets.

It is more likely that he took whatever job would bring in the most cash at the time. Another of my ancestors worked as a spinner, collier, furnace man, labourer, tripe dresser and ended as a grocer. When work in one of his trades dried up, he would resort to what most of the working class did in Victorian Britain - labouring.