CHESHIRE-L Archives

Archiver > CHESHIRE > 2000-01 > 0947232725


From: David Bryant <>
Subject: [CHS] Re: CHESHIRE-D Digest V00 #7
Date: Fri, 07 Jan 2000 21:12:05 +1300


>"Raymond" <> wrote:
>To:
>Subject: [CHS] ordnance survey maps
>
>Can any one help with an occupation, I have a relative who,s occupation is
>given as a painter in 1873, would he now be known as a painter and decorator.

Ray,

The answer is - perhaps!

Nowadays we usually mean paperhanger as well as interior painter when we
speak about decorating trades. Your relative may not have been involved in
interior decoration.

For example, with the prevalence of shipbuilding and repair in Birkenhead
(and Liverpool) he may have been engaged solely in painting the hulls and
deckfittings on ships.

Remember that as well as having to know how to apply paint he would also
have to know how to mix them - no pre-mixed paints then. He would probably
use an oil-bound white lead base to which are added coloured pigments in
the correct proportions for the shade required, extra medium for
workability and gloss (linseed and/or tung oil) and chemical driers. Some
well-finished items such as railway locomotives could have as many as 25
coats applied from bare metal to the final varnish. This was a highly
skilled trade.

It is always dangerous to apply modern trade descriptions to jobs of over a
century ago.

Hope this helps.

Regards
David Bryant

This thread: