G

 

gabbarage maker. Manufacturer of a coarse cloth of this name, once used for packing material.

gabelier. Medieval tax collector.

gaderian. Gatherer, usually of taxes, tolls, etc. particularly in Anglo-Saxon times.

gaff shop owner. Owner of a ‘penny gaff’, a shop turned into a basic temporary theatre to which entrance cost one penny.

gaffer. Same as gaffman. Also a supervisor or head worker.

gaffle fitter. Someone who fitted gaffles (artificial spurs) to birds in cock-fighting pits.

gaffman. Bailiff or water bailiff.

galerius. Cap, bonnet or wig maker.

galleyman. Ship’s cook.

galloon maker. Weaver of silk or worsted fabric called galloon. Also a maker of fine, close-knitted lace with the same name.

galligaskin maker. Manufacturer of wide open hose-type stockings known as galligaskins. Also called a gaskin.

gallows maker. Manufacturer of braces or suspenders for holding up a man’s trousers.

galpin. A 13th century messenger. Also the boy who turned the spit in a large household kitchen.

galvaniser. Metal worker who coats iron with zinc.

gambadol(e) maker. Manufacturer of leather leggings called gamba-does.

gambron maker. Maker of a twilled linen cloth used for lining clothing.

game dealer. Seller of the meat of wild animals and birds such as rabbit, pheasant, grouse, deer etc.

game keeper. Someone employed by a large estate to take care of the wild animals and birds (often later to be shot for food).

gamester. Professional gambler, also a colloquial term for a prostitute.

gang(man). An ordinary seaman who was chosen to lead other ordinary seamen in a particular task.

gang labourer. One of a team of labourers working on a particular job.

gang sweeper. A member of a road ‘gang’ of street cleaners who would descend on a particular part of a town or city and sweep it clean of rubbish and horse droppings. (See also beat sweeper.)

ganger. Foreman, especially a foreman platelayer on the railways.

gangrel. One of a band of roving beggars.

ganister (getter). Person who removed ordinary ganister rock from coal in a mine.

ganter(ius). Glove maker or seller.

garbler. Worker on a waste disposal site who sifted the refuse for items that could be re-used or recycled.

garcifer, garcio. Servant boy.

gardian(us). Church (or other) warden.

gardinarius. General gardener.

gardy loo man. Colloquial name for a refuse collector or nightman. The term was once common in Edinburgh and elsewhere and is derived from the French practice of calling ‘Gardez l’eau’ before throwing water (and urine) from their windows on to the streets below.

garibaldi maker. Maker of hats (or jackets) of a type worn by followers of Garibaldi.

garlekmonger. Seller of wild onions.

garreteer. Strictly, someone who lived in the roof space of a house (in a garret). Usually the term was used for servants, apprentices or anyone of a lowly position.

garthman. Herdsman or yard worker. Rarely a fish keeper.

gasilier maker. Manufacturer of a special kind of gas chandlier used in the early days of the gas industry.

gaskin. Manufacturer of wide open hose type stockings known as galligaskins. Also called a galligaskin maker.

gasogene drink supplier. Maker or seller of fizzy drinks.

gasser. Someone in the lace-making industry whose job was to singe lace netting to remove hairy filaments.

gate warden, gater. Night watchman.

gatherer. Glass worker. Also someone who clears stones from fields.

gatherer’s man/lad/boy. Assistant to a gatherer in the glass trade.

gatling operator. Soldier who operated a repeat firing Gatling gun, named after its inventor.

gatward. Goat herder/keeper.

gauffeur. A plaiter of straw, paper or other materials.

gauger. Excise officer with powers to assess and collect duty.

gaunter. Gauntlet seller/maker.

gaveler. Auctioneer. Also a female agricultural worker. Also a granter of licences to work a mine.

gavelman. Someone who owns only a very small amount of land. It derives from the gavel system used in Wales (and elsewhere) whereby inherited land was continually divided equally between heirs.

gawn man. Operator of a small tub shaped water vessel known as a gawn.

gazetteer. A journalist or writer who contributed to a publication (hence the word ‘gazette’).

gear cutter. Maker of cog wheels for industrial machines, from wood or metal.

gebur. An Old English peasant higher in status than a cottar but less than a geneat.

geburus. General term for a villager.

gelder. Same as castrator.

gemmarius. Jeweller.

genappe worker. Textile worker who manufactured genappe, a smooth worsted yarn used in making fringes, etc.

geneat. An Old English peasant higher than a gebur and liable for military service.

generos(a)(us). Lady; gentleman.

genesiologist. Early genetic scientist.

geneva distiller. Gin maker.

gent(leman/woman). Anyone who had inherited or achieved wealth/status within their community so that they did not have to work. High ranking ‘workers’ such as judges, doctors etc were also given the title of gentleman. Originally signified male ranked above a yeoman.

gentleman at arms. A member of the royal bodyguard.

Gentleman commoner. A term once given to rich British university students. They were also known as fellow commoners.

gentleman usher. An usher to royalty who attended at state balls and functions.

Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod. Originally the guard of the King’s/Queen’s Council chamber. He was the chief Royal Usher. He is now attached to the House of Lords.

geogonist. Scientist specialising in the study of the Earth. Also called a geonomist.

geomancer. Fortune teller who used figures or features of the Earth for divining purposes.

geometer. Mathematician specialising in geometry.

geonomist. Scientist specialising in the study of the Earth. Also called a geogonist.

geoponist. Agricultural scientist.

gesith. Part of the King’s household. Some were considered aristocracy though others were not.

gewgaw salesman. Seller of trinkets and cheap baubles (pronounced ‘jew jaw’ or ‘jew gaw’).

giant crane operator. Operator of a particularly large tower crane often known as a ‘Hammerhead’.

gibeonite. Menial worker of the lowest grade.

gift buyer. Someone who knowingly bought stolen goods. Also known as a fence(r).

Gilbertine. Member of the only purely English foundation of monks in Britain. Nuns of this order followed either Benedictine or Cistercian rules whilst monks followed that of the Augustinian canons.

gilder. Someone who decorates objects with gold leaf.

gill seller. Seller of malt liquor medicated with gill (ground ivy).

gillie, gilly. Water bailiff or game keeper.

gimcrack seller. Seller of cheap and trivial mechanical toys known as gimcracks.

gimler, gimp maker. Manufacturer of a kind of twisted silk used to edge clothing, etc.

gimper. Car making machine operator.

gin operator. Worker using one of the many different kinds of factory machines called engines. (E.g. pile driving gin and spinning gin).

gin pit miner. Open cast miner who worked in a very small area known as a gin pit, where all of the miners were often from one family (including women and children).

gin trapper. Hunter of small animals using wire loop ‘gin traps’.

gineer, giner. Engineer.

ginger. Someone who lined a pit shaft with supports. (the Gs in ginger being sounded like the G in goat).

gingle driver. Driver of a two-wheeled covered cart, particularly in Ireland.

girandole maker. Maker or assembler of chandeliers.

girdler. Belt making leather worker. Also specialist woodman who killed trees by cutting circles around the bark at the base of the tree.

girth weaver. Specialist weaver.

girthoxter. Same as girth weaver.

glairer. Varnisher using glair (the white of eggs) as a varnish. Also glarer.

glass coachman. Driver of a glass sided horse-drawn coach (used for funerals or ceremonial occasions).

glass drawer. Someone who makes fibre-glass threads in a glass factory.

glass dust seller. An 18th century street salesman who broke up and ground down bottles, selling the resulting glass dust for using in the making of glass-paper, etc.

glass grinder. Someone who decorated individual glass items using a grinding wheel.

glass maker. Anyone making glass, but particularly someone who was versed in the craft of making different colours of glass for decorative work. Originally (because of the great heat involved) it was only a winter occupation.

glass polisher. Finisher of individual glass items to bring them to a highly polished finish.

glass setter. Same as a glazier.

glass worker. A craftsman using glass decoratively (e.g. in stained glass windows).

glassman. Same as a glazier.

glasswright. Glass maker.

glazed goat tanner. Leather worker.

glazer. Factory worker who smoothed calico cloth. Also a potter’s assistant who put the glaze on pottery.

glazier. Glass maker/workman.

gleaner. Member of a poor family who farmers would allow to follow the sheafmakers at harvest time, picking up stray pieces of wheat etc which he or she was allowed to keep without payment.

glebae adscriptitii. An ancient class of tenant whose holdings were permanent in exchange for services.

gleeman. Anglo-Saxon travelling street entertainer (of any kind) who travelled in groups (also called a jongleur).

gleve. Spear carrying soldier or private guard (also spelt gleave).

glim maker. Maker of candles or lights from reeds, etc.

glist worker. Worker involved in the mineral industry, glist being the mineral mica.

globbard collector. Someone who collected and sold globbards, (glow-worms).

glossarist. Strictly, a compiler of glossaries but also used for someone who wrote commentaries.

glosser. A polisher. Also an instructional or technical writer who wrote glosses (glossaries).

glossologist. Inventor of new technical terms or one who coined words and phrases for inclusion in glossaries.

glottologist. Philospher studying the differences and the comparisons of different languages.

glutman. A casual employee of the customs service used to make up numbers at busy times.

glyphographer. Engraver who produced etched engravings which left the design in relief.

glyptic sculptor. A sculptor who carved rather than moulded figures. (See also plastic sculptor.)

glyptographer. Someone who engraved on precious stones.

G-man. Member of the secret service of the USA.

gnomenologist. Scientist who studied the measurement of time.

goaf closer. Mine worker with the job of shutting off part of a mine (known as a goaf or gob) that was worked out.

goafer. Person who collected waste coal from the goaf (waste heap) of a mine, either as a job or for their own use.

goat carriage driver. Driver of a small horse-drawn carriage.

gob closer. Same as goaf closer.

gobber. General part-time worker (probably a common mis-spelling of jobber. (See also gob man).

gobha. Gaelic title for a smith (i.e. blacksmith, etc.). It was pronounced similar to gower. (See gower and gowan.)

gob man. Stone quarry worker who takes the waste stone, known as gob, to the surface or top of the quarry.

godman. Anglo-Saxon title used loosely for headman or anyone in charge of anything.

godsmith. Maker of religious figures.

goffer. Cutlery trade worker.

goffering sewer. Frill sewer on garments, etc. (the fluting at the top of the frill being called the goffering).

goitre stroker. Medical healer who used plants and other natural medicines to cure goitres and other ailments.

gold beater. Manufacturer of decorative gold leaf, beaten from thin rolled sheets of melted gold. Fifty square inches of gold leaf weighed one grain and a cubic inch of the metal contained almost 5,000 grains.

gold stick. Title once given to British Life Guard Colonels and to Captains of Gentlemen at Arms. The name derives from a gilt rod carried on state occasions when attending the sovereign.

Goliath operator. Controller of a giant mobile crane known as a ‘Goliath’.

goloe-shoe maker. Maker of waterproof over-shoes which were worn over ordinary shoes. The name goloe-shoes was later used for Wellington boots but by then was spelt galoshes.

gomelin worker. A factory worker who produced gomelin, a starch used by weavers.

gomer. Person who greased car wheels (gome was a black grease).

gommer maker. Maker of a preparation used in soups, called gommer, which was made from black amel-wheat.

goose herd, gooserd. Keeper of geese.

gorse dealer/seller. Collector and seller of gorse and broom branches for use in brooms/brushes etc.

gorzeman. Same as gorse seller/dealer.

gossip. A god-father, god-mother or other ‘sponsor’ of a child that was to be baptised in a church.

governante. Governess. Either looking after children or acting as a chaperone to young ladies.

governess. A child minder and teacher combined.

governor. Anyone in charge of others, but especially one who carries out the wishes of a higher body such as a king or a government department. Originally it meant someone who was put in place to direct the actions of others. It derives from the Latin ‘gubernare’ meaning ‘steering’.

gowan, gower. A smith. See also gobha.

gozzard. Goose keeper.

grab operator. Operator of a crane fitted with a grabbing device for lifting or carrying materials.

graffer. A scribe or notary.

grafter. A general labourer.

Grandimont monk. Member of an alien order with allegiance to Grandimont (also known as Grosmont) in France. (See also Alien monk.)

Grandmont monk. Same as Grandimont monk.

granger. Bailiff or officer in charge of a lord’s farm.

granny woman. Country midwife (and healer using natural plant medicines).

grass dresser. Tin mine surface worker who worked on the ‘grass’ (above the mine).

graticulator. An artist or draughtsman who enlarged or reduced drawings using a system of drawn squares, scaled in size.

graver. An engraver (usually of metal). Also someone who works on ships’ hulls in a dry dock.

grazier. Cattle or sheep farmer.

great coat maker. Manufacturer of heavy overcoats.

Great Enoch (man). Colloquial term given to both a giant hammer, and the person using it to smash machines in the woollen industry in a protest at the loss of jobs done by manual workers.

great(er) dustman. Owner of a fleet of refuse collection carts who employed drivers.

greave. Foreman or bailiff.

grechel. Grocer. Also grecher.

green brick maker/stacker. Worker who makes or stacks bricks before they are fired in the kiln.

green grocer. Fruit and vegetable seller.

greensmith. Copper worker/craftsman.

grefi. Early Norman-English meaning count, earl or other position of high order (also spelt gri(f)).

greg(g). Shepherd. Also gregard.

gregarius. Herdsman (all animals).

grenadier. Originally a soldier equipped with grenades, later a member of the First Batallion of Foot.

grenwich barber. Sand seller.

Grey Friar. A friar monk belonging to the Franciscan order. (See also under Fransciscan.)

greyve. Steward, bailiff or supervisor c11th century.

grice rearer. Someonewho reared grice (small pigs).

grieve. Foreman or bailiff.

grinder. Used in many trades, mainly metal, stone or glass.

grissette. The daughter or wife of a tradesman.

grissette weaver. Manufacturer of a cheap rough woollen cloth used by those considered lower class.

grist miller. Miller of grain.

groat miller. Someone who was employed to take the husks off grain.

grocer/us/ius. Dealer in foodstuffs.

grogger. Rum seller.

groggery owner. Strictly, a rum seller, but used generally for a publican.

grogram maker. Maker of a cloth material made from silk and mohair. Also spelled grogran.

groom. Person in charge of the horses. The term was also used as a shortened version of ‘Groom of the Chamber’.

Groom of the Chamber. In small households he was head of staffing, in larger ones he was directly under the instruction of the House Steward.

Groom of the Stole. Royal official in charge of the King’s clothing.

Grosmont monk. Same as Grandimont monk.

grossier. A wholesaler (generally of groceries). See also under pepperer.

groundsel collector/seller. Gatherer and streetseller of groundsel weed (for feeding cage birds).

groveller. Someone who crawls as the main element of his job (e.g. in a mine).

grub-streeter. A poor or jobbing writer. (Grub Street was a thoroughfare in Moorfields, London, where such people once lived.)

grubber. Someone who weeds a garden or field by hand.

grunter man. Pig keeper. The name was used in areas where it was said to be unlucky to say the word ‘pig’.

guard lacer. Someone who laces up ladies’ bicycles to prevent dresses getting caught in the mechanism.

Guardian. Administered the running of workhouses between 1834 and 1929.

guardianus. Local guardian (e.g. churchwarden).

guildsman. Trader or professional who was a member of one of the many trade guilds or livery companies.

guillevater. Distiller and/or brewer.

guinea pig. Colloquial term for an odd job man who quoted a guinea (»1 1s 0d) fee for any odd job.

guipure maker. Manufacturer of an imitation antique lace.

guiser. An actor taking part in a play where fancy dress is involved. Also a mummer (see under that entry). Also applied to anyone in disguise.

gummer. Repairer of old wood cutting saws.

gunfounder. Maker of gun barrels and the metal part of gun stocks.

gunny manufacturer. Maker of sack cloth from jute which was more tightly woven than hessian.

gunnyman. Dealer in sacks and sacking.

gunsmith. Maker/repairer or dealer in guns and weapons.

gutta percha man/worker. Dealer or worker in raw rubber latex.

gutter pourer. Metal worker in a factory producing moulded guttering from molten metal.

 

Making gutters by hand in an old factory. In the above illustration, gutter pourers can be seen pouring molten metal from ladles into sand filled moulds. The picture was taken around 1930 before the onset of mass production and the later innovation of producing gutters made from hard plastics.

 

gynour. Same as gineer.

gyp(py). Colloquial term for a college/university servant, particularly at Cambridge and Durham Universities.

gypsoplaster. Caster of plaster of Paris figures.

gypsum hauler. Driver of a small engine that hauled the mineral gypsum. Also called an ‘oil engine hauler’.

gyromancer. Fortune teller who walked in circles whilst making predictions.

gyve smith. A person who fitted manacles or leg irons to prisoners.