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? Reserved Occupation WW2

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  • ? Reserved Occupation WW2

    I am trying to add a bit more about my dad George Brown to my tree. He was born in 1921 and joined the RAF police on 27/09/1945 when he was nearly 24. To me this seems quite old to go into a service when there has been a war on. The only thing that I can think of was that he had a reserved occupation. On the form I have from the RAF it says his civil occupation was App.Acetylene Welder and the employer was Ind.GP.044.22.Dis 190.
    Can anyone shine any light on this or point me in the right direction

    Thank you
    Ann

  • #2
    Industry was classified by groups from the 1930s onward and the relevant details were recorded when a person joined the forces in wartime. Certainly in 1945 former employers of men in the forces could apply for those men to be released to resume their employment with them. The Ministry of Labour notified the Services of the Industry Groups approved for men to be released and the relevant Service then identified the named men requested by recourse to details of the Industry Group and Occupational Classification recorded against each man. Industry Groups had a 2 or 3 letter reference, of which GP may have been one. I have not found any reference to such a reference but Googling does throw others up such as GC, Steel Melting & Iron Puddling Furnaces; GK, Electric Cables, Electrical Apparatus Manufacture; GS, Nail Manufacture; GW, Miscellaneous Metal Industries and any reference to a GP might fit broadly within a similar category. The number 044.22 was the Occupational Classification for a Welder but I can shed no light on Dis. 190.
    I do not know how long an apprenticeship was required before a man could emerge as an Acetylene Welder but the inference here is surely that he was still one when he joined the RAF at almost 24yrs of age, which does seem a little odd. Depending on the importance of the firm's activities to the war effort, it could well be that even an apprentice may have been in a reserved occupation.

    Hope this helps a little.

    merleyone
    n

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    • #3
      GO, From the description provided on the form from the RAF I would think an explanation of his occupation was Apprentice Acetylene Welder employed by Industry Group 044. Now on the

      list of reserved occupations group 044 was referred to as "Gas welders" and presumably a man carrying out this job was in a reserved occupation. There is a bit about it on the link provided.

      By googling the phrase Ind.GP etc there are a few pointers there particularly the last one on the list (not very long) which gives brief descriptions of GP 044.22. This is contained in, believe

      it or not an Admiralty Fleet Order discharging ratings to various civilian occupations.

      As an explanation as to why he waited so long to join up I think it likely that he wanted to complete his apprenticeship before enlisting.

      Otherwise there is not much on the net to help.















      Whoever said Seek and Ye shall find was not a genealogist.

      David

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      • #4
        Looks like a little crossing of posts there.:p
        Whoever said Seek and Ye shall find was not a genealogist.

        David

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        • #5
          and, to add to what has been said .................

          an Apprentice Welder was probably working in a place where every worker was in Reserved Occupation.

          Try looking in the 1939 Register and see if you can see what his occupation is shown as.

          As for length of apprenticeships ............ I know my brother served a 7 year apprenticeship as a draughtsman, beginning at the age of 15 in 1944 and ending in 1951/2
          My grandmother, on the beach, South Bay, Scarborough, undated photo (poss. 1929 or 1930)

          Researching Cadd, Schofield, Cottrell in Lancashire, Buckinghamshire; Taylor, Park in Westmorland; Hayhurst in Yorkshire, Westmorland, Lancashire; Hughes, Roberts in Wales.

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          • #6
            A huge thank you for your help. It has given me a lot to go on. My dad lived in Woolwich and I think there was a lot of indusry around the area including the Arsenal. I will look at the 1939 register as suggested.
            Once again thank you
            Regards
            Ann

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