Occupations

Occupations in Herefordshire

Learn about a specific occupation here:  (I must apologise for the upside down alphabetic order – I am trying to find out how to recitify it!)

• Whitesmith

  A Whitesmith is a tin worker (sometimes known as tinsmith), but the term also referred to a finisher of any metal goods, but usually iron, or pewter.

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• Wheelwright

  Not only a maker of wheels, but also of the whole wagon.

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• Washerwoman

  A washerwoman usually had her own recipe for making soap – often including wood ash and lard as well as water.

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• Thatcher

  Thatch was not only used for cottages and farmhouses in Herefordshire, but also for many churches and castles.

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• Tanner

  A curer of animal hides. As Herefordshire was, and still is, predominantly rural and industry free, the large numbers of cattle and sheep provided endless raw material for the tanners.

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The following information was kindly supplied by Mike Walsh – a Dilwyner and exceptional researcher!

Wages in early 18th century

Butler	£57.10s	Per annum
Confectioner	£52.10s	Per annum
Footman	£6 – £8	Per annum
Head Gardener	£30	Per annum
Assistant Gardener	£4	Per annum
Head Coachman	£12-£26	Per annum
Assistant Coachman	£9-£10	Per annum
Housekeeper	£12	Per annum
Housemaid	£6	Per annum
Laundry Maid	£5-£6	Per annum
Personal Maid	£8	Per annum

Labouring Wages in early 18th century

Labourer	10d	Per day, plus beer in winter
Carrying hay	1s	Per day with board
Harvesting	30s	Per month with board
Reaping	2s 6d	Per acre
Mowing	8d	Per acre
Threshing	1s to 2s 8d	Per quarter

Wages mid to late 18^th century (1710 to 1797)

Agricultural labourers	£18 – £30	Per annum
General labourers	£19 – £25	Per annum
Messengers and Porters	£31 – £58	Per annum
Police, Guards, Watchmen	£13 – £47	Per annum
Miners	£22 – £48	Per annum
Shipbuilding skilled workers	£36 – £51	Per annum
Engineering, skilled	£41 – £58	Per annum
Building Trade	£29 – £41	Per annum
Textiles, skilled	£34 – £48	Per annum
Printing trade, skilled	£43 – £67	Per annum

Professional salaries mid to late 18^th century (1710 to 1797)

Clergymen	£100 – £239	Per annum
Clerks	£113 – £165	Per annum
Engineers	£131 – £190	Per annum
Solicitors and Barristers	£113 – £165	Per annum
Surgeons, Medical officers	£52 – £175	Per annum
Teachers	£16 – £43	Per annum

 

Professional salaries and wages early to mid 19^th century  (1810 – 1851)

Agricultural Labourers	£42.04 – £53.62	Per annum
Clergymen	£283 – £267.09	Per annum
Clerks	£178.11 – £235.81	Per annum
Engineers, Surveyors	£305 – £479	Per annum
General Labourers	£43.94 – £44.83	Per annum
Government, high wage	£176.86 – £234.87	Per annum
Government, low wage	£57.17 – £66.45	Per annum
Messengers, porters	£76.01 – £88.88	Per annum
Miners	£63.22 – £55.44	Per annum
Skilled Builders	£66.35 – £66.35	Per annum
Skilled in Engineering	£88.23 – £84.05	Per annum
Skilled in printing trade	£79.22 – £74.22	Per annum
Skilled in textiles	£78.21 – £58.64	Per annum
Solicitors and Barristers	£447.50 – £1837.50	Per annum
Surgeons	£217.60 – £200.92	Per annum