The Book of Trades published by John Souter

[TomAndTabitha]

Good morning, everyone

Can you help me find out more about the history of the hairdressing trade? It is included in the above but when I click on the digitised copy held by New York Public LIbrary, those pages seem to be missing (damaged?)

Does anyone think the British Library might have it? Also, when did the original come out?

Thank you very much.

[maddys52]

Hello TomandTabitha and welcome to RootsChat.

There is a Book Of Trades published in 1804, London, Printed for Tabart and Co, which includes pages for Hairdressers. I can see it on the Gale Primary Sources data base (which I access online from home through my Australian National Library card), I'm sure other libraries have similar arrangements.

Not sure about the John Souter version, when and where was it published?

[maddys52]

Ah, I see the one from the New York Public Library, published 1818
https://archive.org/details/bookenglishtrad00soutgoog/page/n8/mode/2up

On Gale Primary Sources there are various versions starting with the 1804 mentioned above, then an 1807, 1811, 1821, 1824, 1830, 1835, 1837, 1839 and so on.

[QueenoftheWest]

Here is the section on hairdressing from The book of trades (1804), the 1827 version:

https://archive.org/details/bookofenglishtra00unse/page/n229/mode/2up

Clear and easy to read.

Queenie 

[maddys52]

Well spotted Queenie. The text of the 1804 version is somewhat different though.

TomandTabitha, if you can't get access to it anywhere, I'm happy to send you a copy. You'll need to make 2 more posts on here though before I can send you a personal message.

[TomAndTabitha]

Hi Maddys52 and QueenoftheWest

Since posting, I contacted the British Library in London who kindly emailed me images of the hairdressing pages of the 1818 edition.

I am curious to know how the text of the 1804 version differs from that of 1818 (the one I've seen).

I also wonder why this book was produced in the first place. What was the aim?

I'd like to see the  copy you have, Maddys

[maddys52]

Unfortunately the only 1818 version I can see is the incomplete one on archive.org, so can't tell whether the text is substantially different. Happy to send you a copy of the 1804. You'll need to make one more post before you can access the personal message system where we can exchange email addresses.

From what I gather, they were published to assist young people in choosing a career. From the Preface to the 7th edition :  " ... to acquaint the rising generation with our various trades ... must be a praiseworthy effort."

[TomAndTabitha]

Thank you so much, Maddys52
Thank you also, QueenoftheWest

What a lovely idea. I have always assumed that sons did what their fathers did in those days, not that they could pick a career from a choice like this. Wonder if this is where we get our expression 'stereotype' from.

Here is another post so we can hopefully exchange email addresses. It's taking me a while to find my way around the site.

[Andy J2022]

Wonder if this is where we get our expression 'stereotype' from.

The word stereotype originated from the process of making a solid mould cast from individual pieces of type used in the letterpress printing process. This mould could then be used to cast several robust metal 'stereotype' plates which could be used simultaneously on multiple printing machines, or curved to fit on a rotary printing press such as those used to print newspapers and magazines etc. It comes from the Greek word for 'solid'.

The social descriptive use of the word is based on the idea that two things cast in the same mould will have the same characteristics (cf 'they broke the mould after they made him').