Genealogy Chat

Ian,

As the term "rude mechanicals" appears in Shakespeare it refers to artisans whose tools of the trade must have been only hand-powered.

Peter

Ian, Look up on google for "Victorian Occupations " It's very useful indeed.
It will give you an idea about his trade of work .

Will do that, you never know what might appear, thanks very much

Oh do have a google, theres a lot about the trade and it did seem to get quite mechanised. Have you checked for a will for him as he may have been quite well off.

Thats what I expected but I thought his trade was all hand sewing, I don't know what equipment that had to assist them in those days, I suppose I should find out when the first sewing machines became available

I think the term was used loosely for anyone operating a machine. Have a google using both terms in one search and see what comes up :)

Thanks for looking, I know that he was a Leather Breeches maker and in previous parish birth records for his children he was listed as "Trade" for profession but in 1822 he was listed as an Mechanic (it was abbreviated on his record to something that looked like Mech~ but in later records for other people the scribe wrote out mechanic in full so I assume it was the same). Any ideas if this would cover his trade, I know that he continued as a breeches maker until 1850's as I found his advert in a trade directory. Any help greatly appreciated!