Passenger List Handwriting

[tinkerbell5]

Hello,

Please would someone be able to help me decipher the handwriting on this passenger list from 1911?

I can read the name Thomas Roberts, age of 27, martial status as single and destination of Brockville (Ontario). I can also make out “7 years army” which correlates with the information I have. However, I’ve unsure of the words listed under previous and intended occupation.

Thank you for any help.

[Crumblie]

He intends to farm but what his previous occupation was I haven't got a clue except it looks a bit like stores.

[Milliepede]

Yes I agree with farmer, the other word is more difficult.

[tinkerbell5]

Thank you.

[majm]

Sometimes, when I have been transcribing Passenger Lists into Australia, on the last page is a series of summaries about the passengers.  Occasionally it gives Previous Occupations by headings.  Perhaps the last page of that passenger list for our OP's passenger may have a summary of previous occupations....   

I think it reads : Stores

JM

[shanreagh]

If you know the dates of his 7 years of army service and what he did there, then Stores may be a good thought.  (Wrong branch of the military but think 'Quartermaster's store') If he had just finished his Army service then he may have just left working in a stores related occupation in the Army.  Sometimes ex army people were found working as civilians in the Store after they had left the Army.  You can check Army records to see what his occupation was prior to joining, it may say farmer and give you confidence that he was returning to an occupation he had previously.

The suggestion that MAJM has is good too. There often is a collected list of occupations on these lists.

[Ruskie]

Although there are often variations, especially in cases like this where writing has obviously been rushed, but the first letter of the mystery word is not the same as either of the other letter Ss in the snip provided.

You often see the same occupations over and over, so maybe looking at some other passengers might find someone with the same occupation written more clearly. 

[majm]

Yes,  agree,  just look at each of the "S" in 'Same' in the  entries in the same column as farmer  (add, e.g. there's  three variations above farmer, )

Q-Stores provided inhouse staff training in Purchasing, Warehousing, Statistical collection, Admin, Health and Safety, Record keeping, Stock Control, Rostering, Receiving and Despatching,  Stores often were Bean Counters !.... perhaps once upon a time, not so very long ago, say in the 1950s, 'Stores'  as the one word response to a question about occupation suggested a salaried management position in Australia.  I am not sure though about what the occupation involved in 1911.

JM

[majm]

It is an S .. look for the column with M or S and notice that there is an S for this particular passenger,    S for single, m for married .... his S for single and the S for initial letter of previous occupation gives me more confidence the word is Stores

JM