Tutorial - What's That Job? with Dr Sophie Kay

Butcher, baker, candlestick maker. Some occupational terms are an instantly recognisable part of our social fabric. When we find these familiar jobs in our family tree, we usually have a good sense of the kind of work they involved and the industry we need to explore if we’re to discover more.

But what if you encountered a labbet amongst your ancestors? A mush faker? A lumpman? Or a water gilder?

Ancestral job titles are far more than just a quick cross-checking point between record sets. Occupations can yield rich insights into an ancestor’s daily existence, social status, and role within their local community. Yet until you understand what a particular occupation actually IS, it can be difficult to pursue your research further.

Whether your forebears worked the green and pleasant land or toiled in dark satanic mills, I’ll introduce you to a range of fantastic FREE resources and strategies for demystifying those unfamiliar occupations, from the 16th to 20th centuries. We’ll see how sound occupational research is about more than just understanding a job title – and how it can yield an evocative picture of ancestral life and all manner of interesting research leads along the way!

Our online tutorials provide guidance on a broad range of topics. They are open to everyone.

In order to be able to join the tutorial you will need access to ZOOM. On the day of the Tutorial you will be sent a unique ID and password.

Please allow for two hours for the session, including joining and discussions. The talk will last approximately an hour.

The numbers are limited. If the bookings are full, please contact the registrar@ihgs.ac.uk as new dates will be added.