More Difficult Reading

Elma

Elma

Well-Known Member
I wonder if anyone can help me read the occupation of Henry aged 27, it says **** Cabinet Maker. It is only the occupation I would like to know more about. Henry remained a 'cabinet maker' all his life. I have captured a larger picture to compare other letters written.
With thanks ElizabethCabinet maker.jpg
 
Looks like Portable to me also Jane.

Edit - On second thoughts I think Sortable. The P in Punter is nothing like the first letter in the word. The first letter looks more like the S in Sarah.

I found a couple of refs on google to sortable box cabinets
 
I've just had a look on The Genealogist where there's a very clear image and, as Huncamunca has said, it is definitely 'Portable'.
 
I also think portable. Maybe like those campaign chests you sometimes see on antiques programmes?
 
Doug said:
Edit - On second thoughts I think Sortable. The P in Punter is nothing like the first letter in the word. The first letter looks more like the S in Sarah.

I found a couple of refs on google to sortable box cabinets
Click to expand...


That's interesting Doug. The writer's Ps are usually plain. There is another S/Portable Cabinet Maker at the top of the next page. RG9 Piece 113 fol. 84 p.29

(Census records in care of TNA: Crown copyright)
 
From Google Books there seem to have been a wide variety of boxes and pieces of furniture called 'portable cabinets'. Some sound more portable than others! Examples include:
  • collections of educational materials (1857): 'Dexter's Portable Cabinet of Objects from the Mineral, Vegetable, and Animal Kingdoms, containing nearly 300 objects, eminently calculated to assist in impressing a knowledge of the property of articles, both rare and common, on the youthful mind. In a handsome mahogany case, 3l. 13s. 6d.; imitation oak, 2l. 12s. 6d.; plain deal, 2l.'
  • a water analysis kit (1867): 'a portable cabinet fitted with bottles containing chemicals for the detection of the different substances usually met with in water'.
  • display cases for pictures
  • cases for scientific instruments e.g. microscopes
 
Amle said:
I wonder if anyone can help me read the occupation of Henry aged 27, it says **** Cabinet Maker. It is only the occupation I would like to know more about.
Click to expand...
You may be interested in having a look at this website - all you ever wished to know about cabinet-making.... and more! ;)

www.
woodworkinghistory.com/glossary_C_Cabinetmaker_etc.htm
 
Flook said:
That's interesting Doug. The writer's Ps are usually plain. There is another S/Portable Cabinet Maker at the top of the next page. RG9 Piece 113 fol. 84 p.29

(Census records in care of TNA: Crown copyright)
Click to expand...

Does anyone else think that the Henry at the top of page 29 on the census is in fact the same man as Amle wants us to look at on page 28? (or is it just the hot sun making my brain boil :-) )
 
Doug said:
Edit - On second thoughts I think Sortable. The P in Punter is nothing like the first letter in the word. The first letter looks more like the S in Sarah.
Click to expand...

I agree, Doug, the first letter doesn't look at all like the 'P' further up the page (in an occupation which does appear to say Punter but as it is followed by '& Compositor' I think it must be Printer).

As I can't find contemporary references to sortable cabinets I have been looking for more examples of how this enumerator writes a capital P. On the page after the one Amle has posted, St Pancras appears several times as a birthplace, sometimes with a straight 'P' and sometimes with a curly 'P' . So we can't rely on this chap to be consistent!

Flook said:
Does anyone else think that the Henry at the top of page 29 on the census is in fact the same man as Amle wants us to look at on page 28? (or is it just the hot sun making my brain boil :) )
Click to expand...

Yes, he does look very similar! I see that John Allman also gets listed twice on p.28. The heat must have been getting to the enumerator too.
 
Huncamunca said:
I agree, Doug, the first letter doesn't look at all like the 'P' further up the page (in an occupation which does appear to say Punter but as it is followed by '& Compositor' I think it must be Printer).
Click to expand...

oops - Obviously Printer Jane. :)
 
Thanks everyone, that is really interesting and I had not seen a possible duplicate entry.
I will tell you now what I thought it might be. Don't laugh! I read Soilable and was thinking something like commodes!
I had better get and look at that web site on cabinet makers very quickly. Thanks again Elizabeth
 
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