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Archiver > NS-CAPE-BRETON > 2005-12 > 1133571883


From: "James E. Roberts" <>
Subject: Re: [NS-CB-L] Shacker in 1911 census
Date: Fri, 02 Dec 2005 21:04:43 -0400
References: <000001c5f7a0$d8dfa290$852cfea9@Study>
In-Reply-To: <000001c5f7a0$d8dfa290$852cfea9@Study>


Hello List,

At 08:31 PM 12/2/2005, Wilf wrote:
>Hi everyone:
>
>I thought I had asked this question in this link but I goofed as I often do.
>
>I have come across the term "Shacker" in several pages of the census that I
>have been transcribing in the Sydney census. We have lodger, roomer,
>boarder and of course head and the family relationship.
>
>Does shacker have something to do with the steel works or coal mining?

Two things come to mind. There was a bitter coal miners' strike from
1909 to 1913.The `Company' threw many of them out of their `company
houses' and they were reduced to building and living in shacks.

Secondly, I saw the word `batcher' mis-transcribed as `shacker' at
least once. I don't know how widespread the word `batcher' is/was,
but I feel it traces back to Newfoundland. Simply, it is a person,
usually male, who is fending for himself. A man whose wife is away
for a few days is said to be `batching it'. Short for bachelor, I guess.

Cheers, Jim

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