Papermaking

A number of jobs found in the textile mills could be transferred to a paper mill.  Paper had to be hung up to dry, baled, cut, sold, etc. Here are a few specialty jobs.

Blaxter/Bleacher: bleacher cloth or wood pulp for paper in a Bleachery
Caffler or Rag picker: collected rags
Hotpresser: pressed paper between hot glazing sheets to smooth or glaze it
Layer: paper mill worker at a particular process
Rag cutter: cut rags into pieces for papermaking
Vatman: put paper pulp into moulds

Putting the wrap on the Textile jobs

Braider: made braids by twisting cords or leather strips
Beetler: ran beetling machine that embossed [put the shine on] textiles
Card master: person in charge of the carding room
Cloth looker: inspected cloth
Beamer: drew yarn through or onto the loom beam
Baler: baled wool or cotton goods
Cambric maker: made fine cotton/linen fabric
Camlet maker: made cloth for petticoats and cloaks
Camlet merchant: sold same

Textile Industry IV

31-40:

Galloon maker: made decorative woven trim, usually gold or silver, used in military or police uniforms, drapery, etc. [trim called galloon]
Friezer: friezed [embroidered] cloth with gold/silver trim
Fuller: fulled [cleaned] cloth for spinning or weaving
Fustian cutter: lifted/cut thread to make corduroy [old name - fustian]
Delaine worker: made light all-wool cloth of plain weave,; often printed
Dexter: dyer
Doffer: replaced yarn bobbins
Draper: dealer in fabrics
Brogger: wool merchant
Carder: combed wool or cotton

Textile Industry III

21-30:

Mordant maker: made 'mordant', a chemical used in fixing dye in cloth
Lister: dyer
Linen draper: sold linens, flannels, bedding, calicos, gloves, ribbons, scarves, etc.
Lace runner: embroidered lace
Lace master/mistress: lace worker
Hair weaver: weaver of horse hair cloth
Hayrester: works with horse hair
Jersey comber: combed Jersey wool before spinning
Kempster: combed wool or cotton
Hooker: laid out fabric in uniform folds in required lengths

Textile Industry II

11-20:

Stuff weaver: weaver of coarse cloth [stuff; worsted]
Sprig maker: weaver of fine lace sprigs [appliques]
Winder: transferred yarn onto bobbins/perns, ready for weaving
Windster: silk weaver
Twister: twisted yarn into thread
Tapiter: weaver of tapestry
Silkman: engaged in manufacture or sale of silk
Wool stapler: dealer in wool
Slubber: prepared cotton for spinning
Wool comber:  combed, separated fiber for spinning

Textile industry I

Some of the jobs were done in a textile mill, others may have been independent professions:

1-10

Mercer: cloth seller
Spinner: spun yarn to make cloth
Tucker: cleaned cloth goods
Textor: weaver
Warper: set up thread on looms
Weaver: operates loom to make cloth
Scutcher: beat flax to extract linen fibers
Walker: walked over cloth after weaving & wetting to clean & thicken it
Tenter: stretched cloth on a frame to dry
Reeler: organized yarn on bobbins & arranged them above the machines

Occupations

I'm not sure how long it's been since I've posted write-ups on occupations. I'm going to revisit the topic for a few posts. Take a look at your ancestors and see what jobs or careers they held down. Some of them may be a bit confusing. Here's a couple of examples:

teamster: Today one associates a teamster with unions. Jimmy Hoffa, etc. Early on a teamster drove a wagon.

hooker: Not what you think! A hooker was a person involved in the rug making process.

I will put together a list of occupations and define them. If I miss any really unusual ones, let me know!

I'm going to start with the weaving industry. Many of us have Huguenot ancestors. Those Huguenots who came from cities tended to work in the weaving industry. There are some gems!

Time to compile the lists!