Genealogy Chat

My gggrandfather William Faber (1818) shows on his marriage cert (1839) as a hair dresser (two words) and then on his daughter's birth cert (1840) and all subsequent records as a hatter.

Now, either he was a barber and it seems an odd move to a hatter.

Or, did he make "things" - 1840's bling? - to dress hair - ornamental type bits and pieces? Then make a move to making ladies' hats?

Would appreciate your views please.

Many thanks

Jill

(p.s. his father George was a bricklayer!)

I have a Hair Dresser in my family too, I wondered the same thing. will keep an eye on this thread, thank you Jill,
L xxx

from http://rmhh.co.uk/occup/index.html

Not sure what this site says, but have a look it may help...

By coincidence I was talking earlier today with someone whose ancestor was a wig maker. His son was a hairdresser. I can see a link between those skills.
The son was also sometimes recorded as a dentist, so one can only suppose that the barber / hairdresser skills stretched beyond the obvious.

It was probably a case of extending the occupation to a similar one, as the fashion / need arose.

Gwyn

I think it was quite common for a barber to extract teeth... I don't know where I've got that useless fact from.. but I do remember hearing it...

..maybe it was the tilting chair, that they could lean back and close their eyes, whilst he tugged.....

Thank you people,

But can I safely assume (hm hm) that a hairdresser dresses ladies' hair and a barber deals with men? Or am I to assume that hairdresser covered both terms?

I'm still puzzled.

Jill

I would think that a hairdresser would have been the same as either a hairdresser or a barber today.

I remember the place my dad used to get his hair cut about 50 years ago having a sign above the door that said "Men's Hairdresser" and not "Barber" as you would have expected.

I know this is a good 100 years or so after the time you are looking at, but I would take a Hair Dresser to mean the obvious.

Kath. x

one of mine was a court hairdresser, not sure what that means.

jean

I would think that Court Hairdresser was a hairdresser to aristocrats or royalty, or the people around them.

Kath. x

hi kath, cor thats good to know, I have a photo of him and he looked quite upmarket if you know what I mean, lol

jean

Jean,

Please don't take my word for it about Royalty and the like - it's just that "court" usually has that meaning, as in "court jester" being someone who entertained the "court" or "people surrounding" royalty.

Kath. x

Thank you people.

I wish mine had been a court hairdresser - sounds a bit more interesting!!

Jill

Women did women's hair, usually at home. They also got their hats from female milliners. Men weren't allowed to get that personal, and wouldn't have had a clue anyway.

A man who was a hairdresser would have cut men's hair, and a man who was a hatter would have made or sold men's hats.

Thanks Robin.

It just seems a bit odd that he went from a hairdresser to a hatter. That's why I was wondering about ornamental thingies.

However, I think I will go with the men only theory as it does make much more sense.

Jill