Genealogy Chat

Hi - Just received long awaited marriage cert on Jane Hickman 1884. Wanted it to see her father's occupation. He is a traveller... Does anyone know exactly what that meant then? I have tracked what I thought was him in earlier censuses but I needed to verify the link. On Elizabeth Jane's birth cert In 1866 William Hickman was a timber merchant porter (London). I did a lot of excluding of other Jane Elizabeth and Elizabeth Jane Hickmans found on the birth index and census records in London. Am I right in thinking this is the end of the line? Thanks. Jen

Can you find William in 1891 to see his occupation then? Gwyn

usually it means a commercial traveller, ie sales rep. There were few if any national retail chains then, so manufacturers got their products into shops through armies of travellers on commission.

It would mean 'commercial traveller'.........in other words sales rep. The word 'traveller' to denote gipsies etc is a very new idea........... Reg

it can also mean he was a tinker or gypsy, or a showman with the fairs

Hi Gwyneth - You've helped me once before on this side of the family with the Savilles... Yes, I have checked the census records and there are quite a few William Hickmans. One indeed was a fish salesman from London lodging in Devon at time of census. He and his wife and child have never shown up together in the census records. I found Jane Elizabeth with her brother William in 1871 with her grandmother Jane Butcher (transcribed on Ancestry as John Batcher...). I have that Jane's birth cert. And found that William Hickman working in timber in 1861 and 1851 census. You and Merry helped pursue that line as much as we could. I've searched for Jane's mother Elizabeth Butcher and again no one who I could prove is her comes up. Thanks everyone else for shedding light on the occupation of traveller. There was me hoping I came from gypsy stock! Jen