Genealogy Chat

This is the occupation of my great-grandmother given on her marriage certificate. Anyone any idea what it was please?

The only shaker I have heard of is a a religious sect

Mary

But the religious sect Shakers didn't marry.

So it must be something else what date are we looking for and where about did she live

Mary

Are you sure that the word is Shaker? I can't find a mention of it on various old occupation sites.

Are you able to scan the certificate and send it by email or attach it to a message on Genes?

Kath. x

Thank you all. I know very, very little about Martha and her life. She married in Kings Norton, near Birmingham in 1865, and on subsequent censuses gave her birthplace as Kings Norton.

I had heard of the Shaker sect, but as she married in the local church would this be the case?

I'm looking everywhere for Martha and her life before marriage so if I find out any moe information I'll come back and let you know.

Is this to do with the thread on Martha Mason on Find Ancestors

A shaker is someone who makes shakes.

Get a bolt of cedar 2 feet long, set the froe into the end, and work the froe down the grain to split off a roofing shake. It's easier to see it done:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=007hN3DDMx4

I wouldn't have thought it to be "women's work", although they were certainly capable of doing it.

I'm not sure if I've heard the occupation used in the UK, nor if shakes are used in the UK. Maybe it's just western N America. (I must admit a great deal of confusion about what terminolgy is used where.)

Are you sure it's not "shaper"?

did it ever come to light what her occupation was? Shaper does sound more plausable

Wow. thank you all for this information! Yes. this relates to the Martha Mason on Find Ancestors - and I have had some success with this, and it is definitely Shaker on the marriage certificate. I will do some more research on this being an occupation in Kings Norton.

As Martha's surname is given as Mason on the marriage certificate and it was Nason, it has just occurred to me that perhaps the clergyman who wrote out the certificate was either hard of hearing (so it could be Shaper), or he made assumptions as to name and occupation.

Plenty to think about . . .

It's rare to have a woman's occupation on the marrige cert. An unusual lady all round!
I like this family as I live just a short distance from Kings Norton, which is still referred to as a village, the old St. Nicholas church still stands too.
Jan

As her mother was a laundress in the 1861 census, is it possible shaker was connected with that?
A modern reference to that function is given by this link
http://www.mymajors.com/careers-and-jobs/Clothes-Shaker

More thanks!

Thank you KenSE, that makes a lot of sense. A simple answer to the question probably asked of Martha - "What job do you do?".

brummiejan, I am originally from Cotteridge. In fact, born in the house where Martha died. I'm always pleased to find family in the area as I can imagine them walking around the area. :-)

As she lived in Kings Norton it´s possible she worked for Cadburys as a chocolate shaper.
Just a thought.

Just noticed the date. Possibly too early for Cadburys.!!!

Mary The occupation of shaker still exists today .I think that your Great Grandmother would have worked in a laundry , not only as a laudress, but I think she would have been expected to sort clothes for washing, perhaps dyes, and on different materials. Of course the modern shakers work with high tech modern machinery and their job involves much more. I just asked the question on a search engine and I got the modern equivalent. Basically I think your Great Granny worked in a laundry.
Regards Chris :-)