Genealogy Chat

Hi I just recieved the death cert of my ancestor, and it said he was a shoe black. I know he was a soap boiler 2 years before when his wife died. What was a shoe black anyway please? Thanks Ben

Off the top of my head I'd of said a shoe shiner - you know someone who would polish your shoes for 2d, that sort of thing. Course there could be other possibilities.

Following on from his other occ, maybe he MADE the shoe black (polish)? Otherwise I would say he was a shoe shiner, but just in this case the other seems possible. Merry

Hi all Thanks for your replies. Pity the cert wasnt more specific ie 'Shoe shiner' or 'Shoe polish maker'. Ben

The registrar writes down what the informant tells him/her. Perhaps the informant wasn't sure what he did. Occupations on marriage certificates and censuses tend to be more reliable. J

try this, (remove brackets) http://www(.)census1891(.)com/occupations.htm

Would he be on a census? Merry

Hi Just looked at that site and someone who made polish for shoes was described as a blacking maker. Shoe black was listed, but no description against it. So my rellie must of been a shoe shiner. He died in 1889, and in 1881 census he was a night watchman. He did have several jobs throughout his lifetime. The informant was the Infirmary master, and he got my ancestors last known address right, as it was the same address his wife died at 2 years previous. Ben

From googling it looks like it was a shoe shiner. This site mentions shoe-blacks alot but I'm too tired to read the whole thing so I'll leave that to you, http://www.victorianlondon.org/publications4/peopled-01.htm Helen

I'm amazed that people don't know what a shoe black is! And someone was asking the other day what a messenger was!! I'm not getting at anyone, it just seems weird to me that people don't know what this stuff means, and it's not like these jobs don't still exist today! Still, I have no idea who won the last FA Cup, so I guess we all know some things that seem obvious, and are ignorant about other things...!

Andrew, Whilst I don't know anyone's ages (mostly) on here I would guess these questions are coming from younger people than ourselves, who have heard of these things, as they were commoner years ago than today. Snowdrops .

I think a shoe black was also employed to 'black' the kitchen range.

Just to throw a spanner in the works, could a shoe black have been the person who blacked the shoes once they had been repaired by the snob, the leather used to repair was of course a buff colour and was consequently painted black. Or perhaps worked in a shoe factory. Rod I also think a person who cleaned shoes was called a shoeshine!!!