•    •  Glossary of Old Occupations, Professions and Trades

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Old occupations, jobs, archaic trades and similar historical terms are often encountered in Family History. Definitions of these words and terms are recorded here.

# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
There are currently 55 old occupations, professions and trades in this directory beginning with the letter G.
Gabeler
A tax collector.

Gaffer
[1] Foreman of a gang of workers. [2] An elderly rustic, an old man.

Gaffman
A bailiff.

Gager
A tax collector of liquor taxes.

Galvaniser
An iron worker who handled process of coating metal with zinc, to inhibit formation of rust.

Game Keeper
A person who worked on an estate and protected the game and livestock from the intrusion of poachers. The role was not unlike that of the ancient foresters, who protected the stocks of the King's game.

Gamester
[1] A gambler, [2] A prostitute (19c. slang).

Ganger
An overseer or foreman, 1850 onwards.

Gangsman
A foreman.

Ganneker
A tavern keeper.

Gaoler
A Jailer.

Garthman
[1] Yardman or herdsman. [2] One responsible for the upkeep of a garth, a dam built in a river to catch fish. [3] Owner or worker of a fish trap.

Gater
A watchman.

Gatherer
A glassworker who inserted the blow iron into the molten glass ready for the blower (q.v.).

Gatherers Boy
see GATHERER. A person who held a shovel to shield the gatherer's face from the heat of a fire or furnace.

Gatward
A goat keeper.

Gauger
A customs official who measured the capacity of imported barrels of liquor in order to calculate the customs duty.

Gaunter
A glover.

Gaveller
[1] Usurer. [2] In the Forest of Dean, an officer of the Crown who granted gales or the right to work a mine. [3] In Suffolk a harvest worker, usually female.

Gelder
A castrator of animals, especially horses.

Gentleman
a member of the gentry, a descendant from an aristocratic family whose income came from the rental of his land.

Gentry
remaining families of hereditary rank. In the English system, the baronets and the knights.

Geometer
A person skilled in geometry.

Gerund Grinder
Latin instructor (nickname).

Gilder
A person who applied gold leaf.

Gimler
A machinist involved in making a gimp, a kind of card.

Ginour
An engineer.

Girdler
A leather worker who made girdles and belts, chiefly for the Army.

Girthoxter
see GIRTHWEAVER.

Glass Coachman
see JOBMASTER. Driver of two-horse carriage hired out for the day.

Glassman
A seller of glassware.

Glazier
A glass cutter or window glassman.

Goat Carriage Man
A driver of small passenger carriage.

Goldsmith
[1] A maker of gold articles, [2] A banker (nickname).

Goodman
a solid member of the community who ranked above a free-man but below a gentleman on the social scale.

Goose Herd
A person who tends geese.

Gorzeman
A seller of gorse or broom.

Grace Wife
A midwife.

Graffer
A notary or scrivener.

Granger
A farmer.

Graver
[1] A carver or sculptor, engraver of images. [2] Dockside worker who cleaned ship bottoms by burning and tarring.

Grazier
A person who pastures and raises cattle.

Greave or Grieve
Bailiff, foreman, sheriff.

Green Grocer
A fruit and vegetable seller.

Greensmith
A worker in copper or latten.

Greenwich Barber
A retailer of sand collected from the Greenwich pits.

Griffin
A European newly arrived in India, and unaccustomed to Indian ways; a novice, a newcomer, a greenhorn.

Grimbribber
A lawyer.

Grinder
[1] A person who operated grinding machine. Found in various trades, metal works, knife sharpening, cutlery in general, also glass and toolmaking. [2] Worker who maintained a carding machine (textile industry). [3] A private tutor (slang).

Groover
A miner.

Groundsel & Chickweed Seller
A street seller of common weeds, used to feed pet song-birds.

Guardian
an appointee of the court who cares for the property and rights of a minor or someone incapable of handling his or her own affairs.

Guinea Pig
An unattached or roving person whose fee was usually a guinea (slang).

Gummer
A person who improved old saws by deepening the cuts.

Gyp
A college servant especially one attending undergraduates.