Occupation of 8 year old girl on 1871 Census??

[Elizabeth Herts]

RG10; 4403; 76; 30
At the top of the page are Thomas Lees and family.

Can anyone read the first word of the occupation of Lucy Lees, aged 8?
? pointer in factory

Poor mite, I have never found anyone that young working, as although some might have been working I don't think they always admitted it on the census.

[herky]

Hi Elizabeth,
It looks like "??? painter in Factory".
Perhaps the 1st 3 letters are an abbreviation - aop.
No idea what it means.

herky

[Orangeblossom]

It looks like Aop but I have no idea what that is lol

Possibly Arp or Orp?

[Margaret in Burton]

Do you think it is supposed to be app pointer as in apprentice?

What is a pointer in a factory anyway? Probably in the mills.

[Elaine ..Spain]

Pointer / Pin Pointer = 1) Lace-maker 2) Sharpened needles or pins in manufacture

from the Old Occupations website
Old Occupations - P (http://rmhh.co.uk/occup/p.html)

[Margaret in Burton]

Just googled and a pointer is the person making the points of needles.

You beat me Elaine

[Joan of Archives]

I found one of OH's working as a straw plaiter aged 5 !!

That's my youngest so far.

:)

[Uncle John]

In Luton, straw plaiting was "out-work" done in people's homes, so the whole family would be involved.

[Little Nell]

I think most children of poorer families would be "occupied" either in minding little ones, or helping parents who worked at home, or working in factories or stone-picking etc in rural areas. I'm quite sure most poorer married women worked too, though that's not often recorded on the census either.

[Joan of Archives]

Wow UJ that's not bad! Arlesey Beds that's where, lol!

:D

[Elizabeth Herts]

It's horrendous to think what those poor children endured. I have several not making 20 (probably because of the conditions in their lives).

However, I wonder if some of today's youngsters are aware of just how lucky they are! (The emphasis being on "some").

[Uncle John]

Wow UJ that's not bad! Arlesey Beds that's where, lol!

When we moved to Luton the plaiting work had died out (imported) but hat-making was still going strong. In the rural parts of the county the staple industry was growing Brussels sprouts. Now it's oilseed rape/canola.