What did these men do?

[Elizabeth Revel]

In the Whites Directory of 1845 for Roydon, Norfolk, three men are listed with the occupation "Punchard"
A new word for my vocabulary.

Thank you

Beth

[Llwyd]

Hi Beth,

It looks like you have beaten Rootschatters.....go on,tell us you know what it is  really......don't you?.

I've tried all sorts but I cannot find out what a Punchard is/was.However,it seems to be a fairly common surname and, as we all know, some surnames are occupationally derived.

It is not even listed on the sites which list archaic employment terms.The nearest I could find was Puggard---- a thief.

Should you solve it, let us know.

Best wishes and good luck..........

[suey]

The dictionary has Puncheon (pun-shun)  1) a tool for punching
2) A short piece of timber used as a prop or support
3) A large cask of varying capacity.

  Perm any one from three  (showing my age there)

Could Punchard be a corruption of punch or punching.

[Hackstaple]

I could be wrong about this but I believe a punchard is a bridge-keeper or a toll-gate keeper

[Andi R]

I found this:

http://www.puncher.co.uk/gen_main.php

Andrew

[Elizabeth Revel]

Thank you for these responses.

Hackstaple,

Where did you find your information? I'd love to be able to find a dictionary for such obscure words as this.

I think this is a question I shall ask in other circles. If I find anything truly enlightening I'll be sure to share it with all of you.

Beth

[Hackstaple]

I was at school with a boy called Punchard who had, with his parents, left France in 1940. Naturally his name was good for all sorts of silly schoolboy name calling but he explained to me one day that it came from the fact that his ancestors maintained a toll bridge somehere in Normandy. I think the"pun" was a corruption of "pont" - a bridge. But my memory may be failing me at a distance of nearly 60 years!

[Chris123]

You're right. The most common derivation of Punchard, and hence my surname Puncher (it was my site that was mentioned previously), is from Pontchardon, which is from the old French pont (bridge) and chardon (guardian or keeper of). Pontcherdon is a town in Normandy where Robert de Punchardo(u)n was born. He accompanied William the Conqueror to England, and was subsequently head of a landed family, although that line appears to have ended after eleven generations.

Cheers,

Chris

[Elizabeth Revel]

Dear Hackstaple and Chris,

My thanks to both of you. Nice to have learned something new.

Beth