When I was at a bit of a loose end over the weekend I thought I would have a trawl through my database and see if I could come up with a recorded occupation for all letters of the alphabet.
I realised pretty quickly that unless I had someone who worked in a zoo or made / played the xylophone I would come up short. Anyway in the end I was left with X, Y and Z. I thought I must be able to get something for Y – especially coming from Yorkshire, but no luck.
Here’s my list with some examples from the census returns. CAN YOU DO ANY BETTER? Let me know.
| A | Agricultural Labourer; Asylum Attendant |
| B | Blacksmith; Butcher; Builder; Baker |
| C | Crofter; Carter; Coal Dealer; Collier |
| D | Domestic Servant; Dressmaker |
| E | Engine Tenter; Earthenware Painter |
| F | Fence Waller; Farmer; Farm Labourer; Forge Man |
| G | General Labourer; Gardener; Grocer |
| H | Housekeeper; Hawker; Hatter |
| I | Inn Keeper; Iron Worker |
| J | Journeyman Tailor; Jobbing Smith |
| K | Kitchen Maid |
| L | Linsey Weaver; Limeburner |
| M | Miner; Mangler: Marine Fitter |
| N | Nail Maker; Nurse; National Benefit Trust Agent |
| O | Overlooker |
| P | Power Loom Weaver (Worsted); Paper Maker; Potter; Preacher |
| Q | Quarryman |
| R | Rag Gatherer; Railway Plate Layer |
| S | Stone Waller; Sawyer; Servant; Shoe Maker; Shepherd |
| T | Tollgate Keeper; Tailor; Tobacconist |
| U | Under Gardener |
| V | Victualler |
| W | Warpdresser; Washerwoman: Wagon Fitter |
| X | |
| Y | |
| Z |
