Occupations R

A B C D E F G H I J K L M

N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Rack Maiden

Girl employed in the tin mines of Cornwall to dress the ore

Raff Merchant Seller of fibre used to make raffia bags etc
Raffman One who dealt in raff (saleable rubbish)
Rag and Bone Man One who went from street to street with a cart and collected any old rubbish, usually in exchange for a small item, e.g. a block of soapstone
Rag Cutter One who cut up rags into small pieces to be used for making paper etc
Rag Gatherers Employed to clear the rags from the machinery in the mills (usually children)
Rag Man One who went from street to street collecting and selling old clothes and rags
Rag Picker Sorted through the left over rags to find re usable ones
Raker Street sanitation worker
Ratoner Rat catcher
Rattlewater Town watchman
Rectified One who distilled alcoholic spirits
Redar Interpreter of dreams
Redsmith Goldsmith
Reeder Worked with reeds for hedging or thatching
Reedmaker Made the pipe for a musical instrument or made a weavers implement (a reed) or reed cloth or the comb used in tapestry
Reeler Operated the machine that wound the yarn onto the bobbin
Reeve Church warden
Reever Shriever
Registrar Official who registers events such as land purchases or births
Renovator One who repaired clothing
Revenuer Taxman who enforces tax laws on liquor
Rickmaster Captain of Horse
Riddler Wool stapler
Riftere Reaper
Rigger Hoist tackle worker; works on a ship's rigging
Ripper / Rippier One who sold fresh water fish at the markets or maker and seller of baskets
Riverman Worker on a river boat
Rockgetter Rocksalt miner
Rockman Worked in a quarry usually placing the charges on the rockface
Rodman Surveyor's assistant
Roll Turner Carder of wool, cotton etc into rolls prior to spinning
Roller Coverer One who covered the rollers for the spinning process
Rolleyway Man Maintained the underground road in the mines
Roman Cementer / Plasterer One who worked with roman cement used in stuccoing
Roper Maker of rope or nets
Rover Archer or operator of a machine used in cotton mills which prepared the carded fibre into rolls
Rubbisher / Rubbler Sorted the small stones in the quarries
Rugman Dealer in rugs
Runner Smuggler, messenger and ironically one who worked for the magistrate best remembered as Bow Street Runners
Rustler Cattle thief