What's a cadger?

[norwayjane]

Hello,
Have just found a relative in Scotland whose occupation was listed in 1881 as a grocer & cadger. Am I right in thinking that he took his wares around on a cart? Or would he have had a shop? Or maybe both?
J

[Elaine ..Spain]

From the Old Occupations website : Old Occupations - C

Cadger
1) Beggar
2) Medieval hawk carrier. Attended hawking party, carrying hawks perched on a square frame around his waist and slung from his shoulders. Origin of 'cadge a lift'

[Heather Positive Thinker]

Seems difficult to equate someone who is a grocer (a good employment) along with begging?

I know my parents used to use "on the cadge" for someone wanting something without paying for it but this definition doesnt seem to fit for someone who is a grocer does it.

[Heather Positive Thinker]

AH, in SCOTTISH old occupations:

Cadger Travelling pedlar

[Elaine ..Spain]

That sounds better!

Heather, do you have a link for Scottish occupations?

[garstonite]

we still call anyone in Garston who tries to borrow money...a cadger...
if someone in the pub runs out of cigi papers they will ask "can I cadge a couple of cigi papers off you,? "
still in use in Garston....allan;)

[norwayjane]

yes I think I'll go for the travelling pedlar rather than someone who goes round begging for groceries

[colin taylor]

I am sure that I saw recently that it was the baskets slung round the hawkers neck was called a cadge and that cadge a lift came from this

[BEARGER]

Scottish genealogy and Scottish family tree research service within Scotland from Scots Family

[Roger in Sussex]

In an 1896 dictionary I found cadger defined as "One who brings butter, eggs, poultry and the like, to the market from the country; an itinerant huckster".

[GallowayLass]

SP gives it as a travelling dealer or carrier

[Guy]

Yes very often carriers were cadgers as well. They made additional income by trading goods (eggs milk poultry etc.) if they had space on their cart.
Many had a set route and were used as a mobile shop for the outlying farms and villages.
Cheers
Guy.

[Uncle John]

When I was a child a man with a mobile shop lived down the road. He did a round of all the little villages and hamlets and sold more or less everything. He was known as the Vinegar Man because of his cry "Vinnegow".

[norwayjane]

Brilliant - thank you everyone for your input
J