Old Scottish occupation - 'Tower'

[goldie61]

Looking at the ‘Carriage and Horse’ Tax for 1787 on Scotlandsplaces, there is a William Baird in Liberton, who is a ‘Tower’. He has just 1 horse. Any ideas of what this might be?
I thought it might tie in somehow with a Thomas Baird who I know was a carrier in Liberton, but was deceased before the date of the Taxes.

Thanks very much

[CaroleW]

Somebody who used his horse to tow goods/items - a tower

[Ian Nelson]

On the canal, perhaps

[Gadget]

Could I offer an alternative explanation.

All of the tax rolls that I've looked at usually give the place of abode, rather than the occupation.  Also they are listed in parish order.

Have you thought of it being Liberton Tower:

http://www.castlesuncovered.com/scotland/libertontower.html

Gadget

[Gadget]

Location

https://maps.nls.uk/view/74426705#zoom=7&lat=6517&lon=11637&layers=BT

[goldie61]

Thank you everyone for your replies.

At first I thought oh good, that could make him possibly related to the Carrier - great!

But your comments are most intriguing Gadget.
I have looked at again at the all the different taxes I have from Scotlandspeople, and you could well be right. They very nearly always give the place of residence rather than the occupation.

On the page of the clip you posted there are several instances where 'Fa' is written after the person's name. I thought this may have been an abbreviation for 'farmer', but that seems unlikely now. Any ideas?
Liberton tower looks fabulous - now!
I see the information about it says it ceased being domestic accommodation in the 1600s, and was used as a cow store etc. I wonder if the entry in the taxes meant he lived in the AREA of the tower, rather than actually in the tower itself?
Interesting stuff! 

[Skoosh]

Nice work Gadget! 

Skoosh.

[BushInn1746]

Looking at the ‘Carriage and Horse’ Tax for 1787 on Scotlandsplaces, there is a William Baird in Liberton, who is a ‘Tower’. He has just 1 horse. Any ideas of what this might be?
I thought it might tie in somehow with a Thomas Baird who I know was a carrier in Liberton, but was deceased before the date of the Taxes.

Thanks very much

Hello

Your person of interest Thomas Baird, a Carrier was deceased before 1787, but you never gave a place area/region for him, only Liberton?

In the image (if one), of the record you found your Thomas Baird (deceased) in, what was his actual area/region you found the record under?

Because, there are two Libberton & Liberton places and both places can be spelt with either 1 or 2 letter b.
See "Introduction" here
https://www.ancestor.abel.co.uk/Liberton.html

Mark

[Gadget]

Mis-read a prevous post.