Genealogy Chat

i have carman in my ancestors they were hansom cab drivers penny

In my "Mansfield" family alot of the males occupation was shown as CARMAN.

Thankyou all very much. I am now much wiser. Darrel

I have a number of Carmen in my family. They owned horses carts and carried anything that was required on a contract bassis. They were used by the local brickworks but would also carry as a one off for anyone that had goods to be moved from A to B. Now we would call them hauliers. Indeed one of my uncles progressed from a horse and cart to a lorry for a short period. Bob Wood

On the last point, carriers were people who transported whatever you wanted. for example, I remember in the 1950's having the family bicycles sent by carrier to our holiday destination, and back at the end of it, while we went by train and bus. Stan

I've got a rellie who was a 'carman' and assumed it was something to do with transport - now I'm a bit confused !I've also got rellies who were 'carriers' - of what I don't know. This seems to be in the Northamptonshire area of my family - maybe it's local to that area - anyone know ? Mary Brooke

When I looked the term up on the web, it said driver of a cart, and this makes sense as gt grandad was a coal carman!

My gt grandfather was a carman - I understood it to mean he drove a cart to make deliveries for firms on 'self-employed' sort of basis. Maz.XX

These days taxi-drivers are called 'cabbies' - or at least, they are in my part of the world! -Kat

Think it was a subtle difference but certainly later a taxi driver was called a Hackney-driver. A street cleaner was a Fower - now where did that come from!!

I wonder if there was any subtle difference between a CARMAN and a CARTER? Martin

A Carman is a street cleaner - as we would say today a Dustman!

Lots of 'Carmen' in my husband's family. They drove a horse and cart and transported flour, coal, timber, etc. or worked at the docks. Doreen Berry

Carman. Driver of a horsedrawn vehicle for transporting goods, often employed by the railway for local delivery/collection of goods. Also someone who drove horse drawn tram was sometimes known as a carman. Hope this helps Lynda

I have a carman relative. He was a horse and carriage equivalent of a taxi! Janice

It maybe a mistranscibed 'Cartman' . Did he live in a mining community? Kay

I was told it was the equivalent of a taxi-driver today. I'm not sure though! -Kat

I think it was someone who was a self employed carter who may or may not have owned his own cart. Take it to be the equivalent of todays agency driver. Have a look at www(.)cpcug(.)org/user/jlacombe/terms.html

Iv'e had a few of these in my family. Iv'e always assumed it means mechanic ! elaine x

Does anyone recognise this occupation which was recorded by my grandfather in 1914 when he enlisted into the army?