A bus driver in 1891

[webwiz]

William Harrison,25, and his wife Bertha,24, are living in Worksop in 1891. He is described as a ???? Bus Driver.
Can anyone make out the word in front of Bus?
Dose anyone know if the word bus (as opposed to omnibus) was in use in 1891?
Does anyone know what a bus would have been in 1891 (horsedrawn?)

[Chrissie Smiff]

It looks more like groom before Bus Driver webwiz. Here's the link for anyone else looking -

http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/6598/NTTRG12_2642_2644-0319/13657997?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2f%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3findiv%3d1%26db%3duki1891%26gss%3dangs-d%26new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26msT%3d1%26gsfn%3dWilliam%26gsln%3dHarrison%26msrpn__ftp%3dWorksop%252c%2bNottinghamshire%252c%2bEngland%26msrpn%3d1673046%26msrpn_PInfo%3d8-%257c0%257c0%257c3257%257c3251%257c0%257c0%257c0%257c5279%257c1673046%257c0%257c%26mssng0%3dBertha%26MSAV%3d1%26uidh%3duo6%26pcat%3d35%26fh%3d0%26h%3d13657997%26recoff%3d%26ml_rpos%3d1&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnRecord

[JudithM]

It looks like Groom written before Bus, possibly in a different hand - added by enumerator when collating results?

Edit - you beat me to it Chrissie

[webwiz]

Yes, I guess that Bus Driver was not on the list of occupations that the office was working to, and as I suppose it had to be a horse-drawn vehicle they changed it to Groom. I do not remember ever reading the word bus in Victorian literature, it is usually either omnibus or coach - but then I am not that well read!

[PDennis]

You might find this interesting, I was curious about the Groom Bus Driver, it looks like William Harrison was indeed a bus driver, one of the horse drawn buses and then possibly onto the first of the non-horse variety.

http://ourhistory-hayes.blogspot.co.uk/2008/06/london-bus-and-tram-workers-london-bus.html

[PDennis]

I also found this online from a Sydney newspaper..

THE 'BUS DRIVERS' STRIKE IN LONDON.
THE OMNIBUS TRAFFIC SUSPENDED.
[By Cable.]- FROM LONDON CORRESPONDENT
In consequence of the strike of 'bus drivers the omnibus traffic of London is virtually suspended. A few road cars, driven by non-unionists, started out this morning but returned at midday, despite the fact that police protection was sought. The traces of several 'bus horses were cut by the strikers, and the 'bus windows were smashed, the drivers being forced to return to the company's yards. Two omni-buses were overturned by the crowd.
Several arrests have been made for intimidation, including Mr. John Burns, the well-known socialist agitator, Mr. Burns was subsequently released.
The horse-keepers have been called out of the 'bus stables to join the men on strike, and in consequence of this action 10,000 horses are threatened with starvation.

[Anne in Carlisle]

How interesting. 10,000!!! Just think of the state of the roads with that number of horses, and they were just the ones pulling the public buses. There would have been delivery vans, taxis and private vehicles as well. Somehow a liitle article like this brings home a fact which we knew about really but I hadn't calculated the tonnage of muck! LOL
Anne

[webwiz]

Thanks everyone for your replies. Fascinating stuff.

[clematised]

How interesting. 10,000!!! Just think of the state of the roads with that number of horses, and they were just the ones pulling the public buses. There would have been delivery vans, taxis and private vehicles as well. Somehow a liitle article like this brings home a fact which we knew about really but I hadn't calculated the tonnage of muck! LOL
Anne

Father always sent us out with a bucket and shovel Anne when the Rag Yard Horses returned to our Street to collect it for his allotment tomatoes and more. 1950s

Edna