Unconfigured Ad Widget

Collapse

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Another occupation query...

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Another occupation query...

    Does anyone know exactly what my 3xgreat grandfather who was described on the 1861 census as a "Colonial Sampler" did for a living.He lived in Whitechapel at the time although he was docklands born and bred. I think I have an inkling, in that valuable goods coming into the Port of London from the colonies, such as sugar,tea and rum, had to be assessed for quality whilst in bonded warehouses. The site I found this information on didn't use the term "colonial sampler" but it would seem to fit as a job description. My only problem is, it says these were highly skilled men and every other reocrd for this man describes him as a clerk or office clerk.

    Any ideas anyone please? All Google brings up are colonial samplers of the needlework variety!

    Ann
    ".... thy memory shall be blest by the children of the children of thy child".
    Alfred, Lord Tennyson






  • #2
    Samplers

    I'd say you're barking up the right tree. I've come across many samplers in the registers. They tend to predominant in the St Katherine, London, West & East India Docks. You've correctly identified the goods involved. Ivory, wine, sugar, cotton and spices were prominent.
    For further reading I'd do for Dockland Life, by Chris Elmers and Alex Werner, the curators of the Museum in Docklands and the Museum of London.
    It's worth a mention too that Custom House Officers also sampled goods
    J

    Comment


    • #3
      "It's worth a mention too that Custom House Officers also sampled goods"


      That's interesting as it might fit in with the "clerk" description on other records....plus the fact that I have come across a Customs House Officer in the family his son married into. And he didn't live very far from the St Katherine's and West India Docks on the edge of Whitechapel/Shadwell.

      I'll follow up on your recommended reading.Thanks James; it's great to have docklands expert on here!

      Ann
      ".... thy memory shall be blest by the children of the children of thy child".
      Alfred, Lord Tennyson





      Comment

      Working...
      X