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Archiver > YORKSGEN > 2002-06 > 1023307248


From: Judy and Tom Lundeen <>
Subject: Re: [YKS] occupation - Cloth dresser
Date: Wed, 5 Jun 2002 15:00:48 -0500


You wrote (6/5/02 12:51 PM):

>>we discovered that an ancestor was listed in a parish register as
>a "Hair-drefser" (as it appeared in the "old" script). We assume that
>this is "Hair-dresser," and know what it means today . . . but what did
>it mean two hundred years ago? Certainly not the same as today?<
>
>It still meant dresser of hair as it does today. Ladies' Maids often did
>their mistresses' hair or a hairdresser was sent for by ladies going to
>balls to dress their hair, which was usually long, in appropriate styles.

Judy:

What you state probably makes sense in most cases, but this was an adult
male. The register entry (a baptism in 1798) reads, "Thomas, son of
William Lupton of Otley, Hair-Drefser". The only thing that we could
imagine was something perhaps to do with horse-hair seat covers for
carriages?

Actually, we're finding this somewhat amusing, considering some of the
male hair-dressers we've encountered! <grin>

Best regards,

Judy and Tom Lundeen
Palatine, Illinois, USA




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Downloadable 1881 Census surname counts from Yorkshire, useful
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Researching SMITH, LONGFELLOW, HENDERSON, REDMAN, BROOK and HANBY
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and SMITH in the Sproatley area of East Riding.


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