Occupation changes - Genealogists' Forum

Merry · #1 13-01-13, 09:23

Nothing to add to BK6 from this thread

Has anyone else come across the same individuals working as a shoemaker and a tailor at different times in their life?

The person I'm investigating is John Purvis. I think he was b in Eyemouth, Berwickshire in Scotland in the mid-1770s and moved to London before 1800.

In April 1800 he married Elizabeth Purvis at St Mary Magdelane, Bermondsey.

Five children baptised:

John - bap 1801 London Wall Scotch Church (IGI) Likely burial Jan 1806 aged 4 (?!) at St Botolph Bishopsgate
Elizabeth - bap 1802 London Wall Scotch Church (IGI)
Rebecca - bap 1803 St Helen's Bishopsgate (LMA) - father's occ not given. Bur 1805 in Enfield where her mother's family lived.
Peregrine Hogg - b abt 1806, bap not found but gives birthplace as St Botolph Bishopsgate on censuses.
Rebecca Sophia - bap 1809 St Botolph Bishopsgate - father's occ not given

1806 Apprentice record for John Thornton gives details of his master as John Purvis of Bishopsgate Street in the City of London, shoemaker.

1828 The will of his father-in-law, Thomas Purvis, is proved. John is named, but his occ is not.

1829 burial of John's wife, Elizabeth Purvis, at Enfield. The burial entry says she was the wife of John Purvis, shoemaker of London (and also helpfully gives details of her father and a link to his recent burial record!)

1841 census Skinner Street, St Botolph Bishopsgate, John Purvis aged 60 b Scotland occ tailor

1844 second marriage of son Peregrine Hogg Purvis states father's details as John Purvis, tailor.

1851 census Howard's Road, West Ham, John Purvis widower, 75, retired bootmaker b Berwickshire, Eyemouth.

As well as the occ Q, does anyone have any ideas/shortcuts for finding a bap/parents names for this man?!! I don't think I've found any Eyemouth baptism records until much later in the 1800s.

Rachel · #2 13-01-13, 09:35

Have you tried the NAS ? (probably a silly Q but there you go)

http://www.nas.gov.uk/familyHistory/

Merry · #3 13-01-13, 09:39

Thanks Rachel.....

*clicks link*.........

No I haven't. I know nothing about Scottish research

Rachel · #4 13-01-13, 09:54

Ooooo *looks smug*

Nell · #5 13-01-13, 10:45

I wouldn't discount tailor turned shoemaker or vice versa. I've got lots of examples of people who changed occupation (haberdasher to watchmaker; confectioner to publican etc).

Both tailors and shoemakers needed needle skills and would be making items for wear. A lot of my Norfolk relatives were either tailors or shoemakers, but I don't have any examples of them changing.

Merry · #6 13-01-13, 11:14

*frowns at Rachel*

I've always been happy with someone changing from a skilled occ to an unskilled one, but all I can think of re tailor and shoemaker is the total difference in cutting skills - even the needle skills would surely be very different? If he'd gone from shoemaker to saddle maker or leather cutter I would have been happier as this was the occ of a lot of his in-laws.

Mary from Italy · #7 13-01-13, 13:34

I haven't come across that combination, but one of my ancestors worked as a butcher and summerhouse builder (there's no doubt that it's the same person, from the trade directories).

Phoenix · #8 13-01-13, 13:40

Did he get much money under his fil's will? What did he die of? Did Elizabeth marry?

I wonder if he effectively retired after his wife died and instead invested the life savings in a tailoring business?

Merry · #9 13-01-13, 15:18

Quote:

Did he get much money under his fil's will? What did he die of? Did Elizabeth marry?

Erm.....He got nothing from his f-i-l. His wife, Elizabeth got 7 shillings a week until her death, but she only lasted a few months. I don't know what he died of.

Presuming you mean his dau, Elizabeth, I've not found a marriage for her (or rather, I don't know which marriage is hers!). Actually, I'm glad you asked that as I do know what happened to the younger dau, Rebecca Sophia and know that many years later her children were left money by another family member, so I must check that will again to see if any of the unidentified people might be children or grandchildren of Elizabeth. Thanks Phoenix!

Rachel · #10 13-01-13, 15:56

Maybe he was just good wiv 'is 'ands

Wondering what they used for cutting leather in bootmaking and thinking of RSI, corns & callouses on the hands or the onset of arthritis at some stage, thus necessitating a change to something gentler .... merely a thought