Genealogy Chat

That was great Andrea. Shows how skilled these jobs were.

Ozi

Thanks, Andrea.

Your detailed description is most appreciated. I didn't have a clue what a Presser was, but did think it was probably related to the woollen mills.

Thanks for the interesting explanation.

My mums family all worked in the Woolen Mills.

My g grandad started out a s Scribler Cleaner - the first process in carding the yarn and was then promoted to Carder. He later became a Dyer. Each job paying more than the previous one.

My grandad was a Cloth Finisher, and my mum remembers that his work also involved pressing cloth to ensure that the nap was neat and smooth.

My mum herself was a mender and her sister a spinner.

Hi Libby
Usually the whole family would have worked in the mills.
A presser had an interesting job:
They would have to cut out the pattern with cartridge paper, lay it down, on the wrong side, upon a board thinly spread with embroidery paste. Let it get thoroughly impregnated with the paste and then transfer it carefully to its proper place on the stuff; press it closely down with the large presser, and with the little convex one rub the stuff firmly, from beneath, to make it adhere closely to the pasted pattern; small, pointed leaves and flowers will be found to need sewing down besides, where each point is secured by stitches. The embroidery should not be begun until the paste is perfectly dry, and the pattern adheres firmly to the stuff.
She or he would have been the one to 'press' the board.Hence a 'presser'.A very important job!
Regards
Andrea :)

Hi Ozibird,

Thanks for your reply. I agree hotpresser seems the most likely, as the area was a woollen district, most men at the time, in the area were weavers, blacksmiths, masons or farmers.

Though there are these:

Haft Presser Employed in the Sheffield cutlery industry pressing bone/horn into knife handles (hafts). 19c.

Hotpresser Worked in textile or paper mills, pressing product between hot glazing sheets to smooth and glaze it

Leghorn Presser Pressed a type of straw hat known as a Leghorn

Potter's Presser Pottery maker, using moulds

Seal Presser Glassmaking - sealed the bath to prevent air spoiling the glass surface

I would have thought Hotpresser may be more Yorkshire.

This is a great site for old occupations.

http://rmhh.co.uk/occup/index.html

Though it doesn't have presser. Where in Yorkshire? Would that give you a clue to the industries there at the time?

Hi,

I have an ancestor who was a Presser in 1786, this was in the West Riding of Yorkshire. Does anyone know what a Presser was?

Thanks