Old occupations, jobs, archaic trades and similar historical terms are often encountered in Family History. Definitions of these words and terms are recorded here.
There are currently 47 old occupations, professions and trades in this directory beginning with the letter L.
Lace Master or Mistress
A person who employed workers in factories or in their homes for the production of lace.
Laceman
A dealer in lace, who collected it from the makers, usually only those who had bought his thread, and sold it in the lace markets.
Lath Render(er)
A person who puts the first coat of plaster onto laths on floor and ceiling. (a plaster's assistant).
Legger
A canal boatman. Barges had to be legged through underground tunnels by the men lying flat on deck and 'walking' along the roof or sides of the tunnel thus propelling the boat along by leg power not horse power. see also HORSE MARINE.
Letter Carrier
18c. Forerunner of local postman. The Post Office appointed a large number of letter carriers in 1722 to make house to house deliveries within a town.
Lighterman
A boatman who worked on a lighter, a large open flat-bottomed boat used in loading and unloading larger sea going ships.
Linkerboy or Man
[1] A person who carried a link or torch to guide people through city streets at night for a small fee. Had to be licensed to trade in early 19c. [2] Term sometimes applied to general manservant late 19c.
Longshoreman
[1] A landsman employed to load and unload ships, a Stevedore. [2] A fisherman who fishes from or along the shore.
Lorimer or Loriner
see also SPURRIER. [1] Made spits, bridles, and other metal parts for the harness of horses. [2] Maker of small ironware. [3] Worker in wrought iron.
Lumper
[1] Dock labourer who discharged cargo of timber. Employed by a Master Lumper, not the Dock Company. [2] Fine-grain saltmaker, from practice of moulding salt into lumps.
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