Genealogy Chat

We have only mentioned David Storkey as his occupation was given as "townswaiter" on the 1911 census.

This is possibly Sidney Charles Randall's family in the 1871 census (occupation of father given as townswaiter):-

1871 census transcription details for: Mulberry Street, Liverpool

National Archive Reference:
RG number: RG10
Piece: 3783
Folio: 75
Page: 37
Reg. District: Liverpool
Sub District: Mount Pleasant
Parish: Liverpool
Enum. District: 21
Ecclesiastical District:
City/Municipal Borough: Liverpool

Address: Mulberry Street, Liverpool
County: Lancashire

Name Relation Condition Sex Age Birth Year Occupation Where Born

RANDALL, Sidney Head M 28 1843 Suffolk
RANDALL, Mary Wife F 33 1838 Nottinghamshire
RANDALL, John Son M 4 1867 Lancashire
RANDALL, Semelia Daughter F 1 1870 Lancashire
PALIN, Jane Visitor F 32 1839 Lincolnshire
PALIN, Henry Visitor M 8 1863 Lincolnshire
SHAW, George Lodger M 27 1844 Cheshire

Kath. x

Where did David Starkey come from??
I'm not Researching only transcribing a Parish Record where an occupation took my interest. For what it's worth the baptism is of a Sidney Charles Randall born & dies in 1872.
Thanks for all your input.

Several of my ancestors born in the late 1700s/early 1800s were originally tide waiters & later were listed as Excisemen.

Jan, you are quite right. I have just had another look, and the two columns are not lined up properly, with one being two places below the other, which makes for some interesting definitions!

Also, my copy of the OED has a waiter as an obsolete word for a customs official.

These are other similar job titles listed as historic customs services (so David Storkey could have been a Tide Waiter simply known as a Waiter in the earlier census records):-

Landwaiter :- (Landing waiter) Customs official overseeing landed goods from ships.

Tide Waiter:- (Tidesman; Waiter) Customs inspector who waited on the (high) tide when vessels arrived to collect duty on goods imported.

Townswaiter:- Customs man.
----------

On the 1881 census the "Inn Service" has been added later by the enumerator. If David Storkey had just described himself as a waiter perhaps the enumerator just assumed that he worked waiting on tables.

Kath. x

People changed their jobs more than we would expect in those days. David Storkey is listed on the 1901 and 1911 census as working for himself, so he could easily change from being a waiter to a townswaiter (custom man).

My paternal grandfather was listed on his children's birth certificates with three different occupations all within 4 years between 1908 and 1912.

Kath. x

Andysmum, the link you give has townswaiter as a customs man - it is town crier listed as ' A person who made public announcements in the streets. '
Jan

Maybe it is just a waiter after all! Have you found your man on a census?

Same couple as above:

1881 England Census

Name: David Storkey
Age: 30
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1851
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Sarah Storkey
Gender: Male
Where born: Donington, Shropshire, England

Civil parish: Toxteth Park
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England

Street Address: 25 Vandyke St
Condition as to marriage: Married

Occupation: Waiter Inn Serv

Registration district: Toxteth Park
Sub-registration district: Toxteth Park

David Storkey 30
Sarah Storkey 29

This is the only one I can see 1911. If you find the couple 1901, his occ is just waiter:

1911 England Census
Name: David Storkey
Age in 1911: 60
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1851
Relation to Head: Head
Gender: Male
Birth Place: Stapleton, Shropshire, England
Civil parish: Wavertree
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England
Street Address: Wavertree Liverpool
Marital Status: Married
Occupation: Townswaiter

David Storkey 60
Sarah Storkey 59

According to a new site I have just found, it means "a person who made public announcements in the streets".

Sorry, Alan, but I think it sounds a bit more likely than Customs Official.


http://www.censusdetective.co.uk/

It is a strange one that. Can't even begin to imagine how it evolved! Does seem to be one word though.
Jan

This is the occupation of a father on a Baptism Record in 1872. This is a first for me but looking at old occupations it appears he was a Customs Official
We did have some strange(to us) job titles didn't we?