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Archiver > ENG-CAMBRIDGESHIRE > 2005-06 > 1119866894


From: "Graeme Ford" <>
Subject: Re: [ENG-CAMB] Re: Manufacturer of "Old Maid"
Date: Mon, 27 Jun 2005 20:08:14 +1000
References: <000901c57a46$fe666530$6401a8c0@ibm> <002701c57acf$c2d49da0$552758db@winxp> <bff4992305062622533da9b1aa@mail.gmail.com>


Dear Ruth,

I too, was fascinated with the occuption you found. I would like to make
two observations.

Tobacco was not the no-no it is these days. It is completely feasable that
a spinster lady may have cut/shredded her own tobacco or rolled her own
"cigarillos" from puchased leaves to sell and supplement her income.

I went a little further into the referances to Old Maid as a plant. I found
that several were considered herbs, and in particular, ginseng haa "Old
Maid" as an alternative name. Producing herbal medicine from one of the
numerous plants with the "extra" name of "Old Maid" would also have been a
respectable occupation for a lady.

I vaguely remember once reading in an historical novel written by one of
those authors who say they do "extensive research" - (which one I cannot
remember); that a character was given a herb called "old Maid" or similar,
for "women's problems".

Regards, Wynnette.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ruth" <>
To: <>
Sent: Monday, June 27, 2005 3:53 PM
Subject: Re: [ENG-CAMB] Re: Manufacturer of "Old Maid"


> Thanks to everyone for their latest replies. In answer to the
> suggestion it could be a mistranscription, I took it from the original
> returns and here she is:
> http://www.historyscape.org.uk/images/oldmaids1861.jpg
>
> Following up Shirley's good idea to check her in other censuses,
> Elizabeth Carter Chapman was also in Balsham in 1851, with her rector
> father - but no occupation was given. She's also there with her
> mother in 1841 - again with no occupation. In 1871, merely described
> as the daughter of a clergyman of the Church of England, she's
> visiting Mary Aug. Rupelo, a clergyman's widow, in Wateringbury, Kent.
> She moved to Winchester by 1881, lodging with a nurseryman, and
> described as an annuitant. Her death was registered in the Winchester
> registration district in the 4th quarter of 1888.
>
> I think this highlights the fact that some of our female ancestors had
> some very interesting occupations but we're lucky if the enumerator
> chose to record them. For example, the vast numbers of women employed
> as straw plaiters in north Essex can't be completely atypical of
> female employment at that time. However, I suspect that this
> Elizabeth's occupation was more of a pastime, given she was unlikely
> to have been in great want while living with her father, the rector.
>
> Ruth
>
>
> On 6/27/05, Shirley P <> wrote:
> > Ruth
> >
> > None of the explanations given really seems likely. I assume that you
were
> > looking at the original image of the 1861 Census, and not an index
(which cd
> > v. easily be wrong)? If so, I wonder whether the Enumerator made a
mistake
> > when he copied the entry into his book (this is not unknown)?
> >
> > If you are really intrigued (as I certainly wd be), then how abt trying
to
> > find this interesting spinster in another census, or perhaps she
features in
> > one of the directories on-line at www.historicaldirectories.org ? Do
let
> > us all know if you find out any more!
> >
> > Shirley
> >
> >
> > ==== ENG-CAMBRIDGESHIRE Mailing List ====
> > .
> >
> >
>
>
> ==== ENG-CAMBRIDGESHIRE Mailing List ====
> .
>
>
>
>
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