Occupation

[redclover]

Hi, the 1939 England and Wales Register entry for Bernard Monaghan, b.1939, resident at Birmingham shows his occupation as Engineers filer. Does anyone know what this entails.

Thanks, Richard.

[mazi]

Welcome to rootschat, Richard

I think it would be useful if someone could check the original, as I suspect it may read engineers “fitter” rather than filer, especially in Birmingham. 


An engineers fitter was someone who would repair almost any piece of machinery which had broken,
Send for the fitters was a much used term in my factory days.

Mike

[redclover]

Hi,

Thanks Mazi,

I have checked the original and the word written definately looks like  ... filer...
There is no double letter t.
Richard

[mazi]

Sure does doesn’t it.

So he has the laborious task of using a hand file to file a big lump of metal until it is an accurate fit to another piece. So many items of machinery, in the days before mass automation made every part identical, were cast or forged to an approximate size, then hand finished to fit.

Without knowing where he worked it’s hard to be more accurate but it’s likely to be largeish machinery rather than in small arms or the jewellery  quarter.

Mike

[mazi]

But of course I could be totally wrong and he may work in an engineers office, filing away the drawings in a filing cabinet. 

Mike

[hanes teulu]

Birmingham Daily Post, Sat 1 April 1939
In a column headed "A CHANGE IN RESERVED OCCUPATIONS" appeared (among a host of occupations being removed from the list of reserved occupations) -

"MISCELLANEOUS ENGINEERING AND METAL TRADES WORKERS
Assembler, hand (small components; solderers, soft solder; filer; coil winder (light), bobbin winder; viewer, tester, inspector, examiner, gauger (not highly skilled).

CUTLER, SCISSORS MAKER
Grinder, machine; table knife cutler, hafter; serrater; spring knife cutler, hafter; razor hafter; setter in; scissors borer, hardener; scissors filer, bow dresser; scissors putter-together; ..."

I have seen the the term "filer" used with "Motor Cycle Engine filers" and "Cycle Frame filers".

"Filer" is what it says on the tin - but the trade could vary.
 

[hanes teulu]

From the list of trades re. previous post -

"WEIGHING MACHINE MAKER
Lever and Beam filer;

[redclover]

Thank you hanes teulu. This query arose because Bernard Monaghan did not serve in World War 2. I  believe he worked in the Motor car Industry in Birmingham and I wondered if he did not enlist because he had a reserved occupation.
The article in the Birmingham Daily Post would seem to indicate that this occupation was being removed from the reserved list.

Just checking other information i have, a family member tells me he was very deaf (due to measles), so I would assume that would be the actual reason he didn't enlist.

Thanks, Richard.

[youngtug]

He could have used a filing machine; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dXJS3ge1iI