Occupations in the 1841 Census

[lynsfamily]

In the 1841 census my ancestor, David Evans occupation is shown as "Racker".  There are a few males with this occupation.  Can anyone give me an idea of what this was.
In the 1851 census, he is listed as a farmer.
Appreciate any insights.
Lyn

[JenB]

Could you please give the census reference so that we can take a look at the original?

[manukarik]

As far as I can work out a racker worked above ground at a tin or copper mine dressing ore. I can't find a definite description for men, but women worked as bal or rack maidens =  Girl employed dressing ore in the Cornwall tin mines. They were 'pickers' sorting high quality from poor quality ore.

I think this definition is the more likely as the only direct definition I have seen of racker = street sweeper.

[lynsfamily]

Hi
1841 Census Records for Parish of Gulval, Cornwall. Thanks for your help.

[lynsfamily]

Hi,
Yes, this is the same information I came up with.  Just seemed a bit weird that ten years later he was farming 20 acres with 1 man and 2 boys.  Thanks for your response.

[Talacharn]

From old occupations on the Internet, a Raker could also be a street cleaner.

In my family between 1750 and 1850 the first generation was a mariner. The second and third were labourers and then both were mariners. I thought it strange until I found the deaths of each. When one died, the next generation used the boat and became a mariner, and that happened again to his son-in-law. In your family there may have been an opportunity to change career. It could also be he wife's family who had the farm. In those days they could do many jobs, so changing occuption was not an issue.

[ShaunJ]

In the 1841 census there are just 15 rackers in Cornwall, 11 of those in Gulval parish. In the 1851 census there are none.

[lynsfamily]

Thanks for that further information.  Much appreciated.  I'll study the living/working conditions around the census times to see what I can overcover.