Occupation: Writer in docks

[bubblebelle]

I have just had contact from someone with a match to a name I have. He appears to be yet another colourful character, and perhaps I am thankful that he belongs to my Mums adoptive family, so I do not feel duty bound to spend hours going around in circles.

Anyway the question I have is that in one census, he gives his occupation as 'writer in docks'. Has anyone come across this occupation before. I have checked the reference library sources.

Other occupations we have found for him are journalist and estate agents. I wondered if he could have transcribed in court. Any ideas?

Thank you

[Darksecretz]

nope I havent heard of it before Mandy, though I did think maybe a Clerk or somesuch..

[bubblebelle]

Thanks anyway Julie. it was worth a punt

[Darksecretz]

[Olde Crone Holden]

I think it is a specialised clerk. A "writer" in the docks would probably prepare bills of lading or write insurance documents.

I have a distant memory of working as a temp many years ago in a shipping office and the department which prepared bills of lading was called the Writers Office.

OC

[kylejustin]

i think it would be a clerk. i have come across many family members being 'writers' in 18th century sumatra for the east india company. they're jobs were pretty much just to record business transactions etc.

[bubblebelle]

Thank you very much, both OC and Kylejustin, that would make sense too. I couldn't think what you would write about in docks, I could not put myelf back in the day.

Thank you all

[Janet in Yorkshire]

I think it is a specialised clerk. A "writer" in the docks would probably prepare bills of lading or write insurance documents.

I have a distant memory of working as a temp many years ago in a shipping office and the department which prepared bills of lading was called the Writers Office

OC

Agree with OC - think of the terms "underwriters" (insurance companies) and "underwritten by" (e.g LLoyds of London)

Jay

[bubblebelle]

Thank Jay

[clematised]

Grandfather wa on one document "Fruit Importers Clerk" but Mother always said he worked on the docks, same thing I think.

Edna

[Mary from Italy]

Can you give the census reference?

[Olde Crone Holden]

Oh, Mary, lol, I think I'm ahead of you here - maybe it says WAITER in docks, which is a well known occupation in the docks. (Although upthread it says he was sometime a journalist, which would be more in keeping with writer than waiter).

OC

[bubblebelle]

Thanks Mary and OC.

It is occupation on a birth certificate (I think). As I say this was via a tree match but interestingly this man appears to have had at least 2 families on the go, the matches comes from both directions of the family.

I would believe him to be more of a writer than a waiter, mainly due to the journalist and artist entries on other doocuments. He may also have been in the Royal Navy, so that is our next port of call.

My contact has sent for his death certificate, which may help our search for baptism/birth (pre 1837). We are trying to link him into quite a well to do family, all the given names of his children follow this families, but it is trying to verify and prove this.

Thank you everyone for your interest

[Malc]

The Royal Navy still has the trade of Writer

Being a Writer in the Royal Navy is about as far away from a ‘desk job’ as you can get. That’s not just because you’ll be travelling the world. As your ship’s professional administrator, you’ll take on all the many responsibilities that go with handling legal, pay, welfare, travel and career issues for your crewmates. It’ll be your job to make sure the ship’s clerical systems run smoothly and, as the ship’s trusted expert, you’ll advise everyone from the newest recruit to the Captain on personnel matters. When the ship goes into action, you’ll work alongside your crewmates as an Incident Board Operator, passing vital information to the damage-control teams who fight fires and floods.

[bubblebelle]

Thank you Malc.

Have been mooching about my info and if he was in any service, I believe it is more likely to be the Army, but we are talking 1850/60 so around the time of the Crimea.

[annswabey]

What was his name?

[bubblebelle]

George Arthur Hussey Vivian. d.1881 aged 50! So if this is correct he would have been too young for the entry in Ancestry as he would only have been 14ish.

His son Sidney or Sydney is well documented.

As I have stated I only have a very tenuous link with him, but the lady who contacted me got me interested in the fact that he appeared to have at least 2 families on the go.

As yet have been unable to find a marriage to either Caroline (unknown) in London area or Mary Ann Mayheux. in Henly area

On two of his sons marriage records, an occupation of army officer has been recorded for his profession, but other records show... the original query writer in docks, house agent, estate agent, artist, journalist and labour journalist.

I have previously had help with his son Sydney from this forum, so please do not exhaust yourself with searching. My relationship is that George is the Grandfather of the husband of my mothers adoptive mothers half sister ( a well loved Aunt of myself and my mother) See I told you it was tenuous.

If anyone should do any further searching, please be aware I will not be around for a few days, so I will not be ignoring you. I just won't be here.

[bubblebelle]

Just an update,

Death cert has been obtained and states age at death 56, therefore it iis possible he may be the same George Vivian I found in relation to the Crimea.

Thanks to everyone