Comments on: List of Occupations

List of Occupations

mert — Thu, 23 Oct 2003 12:01:00 -0800

A List of Arcane Occupations If I had lived two hundred years ago, I might have been a PUREFINDER - someone who "went about the streets gathering dog droppings which were used for tanning leather."

By: mert

mert — Thu, 23 Oct 2003 12:12:50 -0800

These occupations are so specific. And you recognize a lot of occupations that exist today only as surnames--family's joined through time by their common task and station in life. Today people have multiple careers...I wonder if people then did more than one occupation.. if someone could be both a turnspit and a whig. A lot of these occupations don't exist anymore because technology has changed. Hopefully oneday "DMV clerk" will be included in this list.

By: monju_bosatsu

monju_bosatsu — Thu, 23 Oct 2003 12:22:12 -0800

So I'm a grimbobber and a trampler; not too shabby, if I say so myself.

By: mosch

mosch — Thu, 23 Oct 2003 12:29:05 -0800

Personally, I'd rather be an ale-conner, or maybe a semi-lorer.

By: eyeballkid

eyeballkid — Thu, 23 Oct 2003 12:30:22 -0800

I gotta hook me up one a' them pit brown lasses! Sweet.

By: moonbird

moonbird — Thu, 23 Oct 2003 12:37:22 -0800

I'd like to be retroactively employed as a slubber doffer. Just so I can use the term in daily conversation: slubber doffer, slubber doffer, slubber doffer.

By: me3dia

me3dia — Thu, 23 Oct 2003 12:42:02 -0800

"DEVIL - printer's errand boy" I wonder what Satan has to say about that!

By: stbalbach

stbalbach — Thu, 23 Oct 2003 13:14:00 -0800

HACKER - maker of hoes

By: PenDevil

PenDevil — Thu, 23 Oct 2003 13:16:52 -0800

We are a nation of fancy women...

By: languagehat

languagehat — Thu, 23 Oct 2003 13:24:27 -0800

I'd like to have been a BOOKMAN and METERER, but would probably have been a BUMMER ("army deserter") and BADGER ("licensed pauper who wore a badge with the letter P on it and could only work in a defined area").

By: marzenie99

marzenie99 — Thu, 23 Oct 2003 13:31:04 -0800

Yikes... I guess Badgers were positively, permanently Punished.

By: stbalbach

stbalbach — Thu, 23 Oct 2003 13:36:24 -0800

HONEY DIPPER - extracted raw sewage from catch basins and out-houses HEADS(MAN) - executioner HEADS(WOMAN) - midwife NECESSARY WOMAN - servant responsible for emptying and cleaning chamber pots QWYLWRYGHTE - wheelwright STUFF WEAVER - wove stuff

By: eyeballkid

eyeballkid — Thu, 23 Oct 2003 13:50:09 -0800

"DEVIL - printer's errand boy" I wonder what Satan has to say about that! The Devil you say?

By: Mayor Curley

Mayor Curley — Thu, 23 Oct 2003 14:42:58 -0800

FELL MONGER - remover of hair or wool from hides in leather making This one's inaccurate. A "fellmonger" is someone who deals in inedible animal carcasses. Leather is just one of his concerns.

By: amberglow

amberglow — Thu, 23 Oct 2003 16:35:16 -0800

can someone direct me to the HIGGLER's guild? : >

By: BitterOldPunk

BitterOldPunk — Thu, 23 Oct 2003 17:35:29 -0800

"Honey dipper" is a term still in use today, at least down heah in Alabama. The honey dipper drives the "honey wagon", a small truck equipped with a tank used for emptying septic tanks, and the guy I usually get stuck behind in traffic jams in August.

By: jontyjago

jontyjago — Fri, 24 Oct 2003 00:55:55 -0800

On QI on the BBC last night it was revealed that Henry VIII had a Stool Groom. This was a very highly regarded position in the King's Court because of the quality time you got to spend with the King. Unfortunately the job entailed wiping The Royal Arse...

By: Slithy_Tove

Slithy_Tove — Fri, 24 Oct 2003 01:01:30 -0800

So where's 'cool hunter'?

By: misteraitch

misteraitch — Fri, 24 Oct 2003 01:06:04 -0800

I'm glad to see 'puddler' is on the list: there was a Puddler's Arms pub in the town where I grew up.

By: aaronscool

aaronscool — Fri, 24 Oct 2003 13:39:30 -0800

Is it just me or does this look like a list of 80's metal band names?

By: aaronscool

aaronscool — Fri, 24 Oct 2003 13:41:50 -0800

Oh and that being said I'm a Vulcan (blacksmith).