Whitesmith

[Lindad]

Can anyone tell me what a Whitesmith is... or was? :confused:

[Rod Neep]

A whitesmith is one who makes pots and pans, things made from tin plate (such as cooking tins, etc.), internal bell pull systems, etc.

Rod

[Lindad]

Thanks Rod! You are a mine of useful information! Not sure how you do it, or know it, but please keep up the good work!

[Peggy]

Hi,

Any thoughts about my ancestor being described as Whitesmith and then as Engineer & Smith? [The second is from the LDS 1851 CD for Aston, Warks; I haven't seen the original census to confirm.] They don't seem to go together.

Thanks,

Peggy

[Rod Neep]

Thanks Rod! You are a mine of useful information! Not sure how you do it, or know it, but please keep up the good work!
Just never test me on the name of someone I was introduced to three minutes earlier. :o

[Rod Neep]

Hi,

Any thoughts about my ancestor being described as Whitesmith and then as Engineer & Smith? [The second is from the LDS 1851 CD for Aston, Warks; I haven't seen the original census to confirm.] They don't seem to go together.

Thanks,

Peggy
I don't see any real problem with that. A whitesmith who is also, or later becomes, an engineer and smith. Besides which, "smith" covers all sorts of things generically, such as blacksmith, whitesmith, and so on.

Rod

[Peggy]

[I don't see any real problem with that. A whitesmith who is also, or later becomes, an engineer and smith.]

Thanks, Rod. Would "engineer" likely be the same as "engine smith," which is an occupation found on the other side of the family?

Peggy

[jwhite51]

my father was a whitesmith

a whitesmith would deal with boilers etc in ships, steam engines etc

[Peggy]

[my father was a whitesmith
a whitesmith would deal with boilers etc in ships, steam engines etc]

Thank you. That's very interesting. It was also the case in 1850? Gives me a whole new picture of my ancestor. I see a thread on "engine occupations" in my future. :) I'll have to go through the certs and census data and collect up all of the variations. Wonderful to be able to tap into the extensive knowledge of the B-G Forums members!

Best,

Peggy

[koalablue]

Hi,

I did a search via Google for Whitesmith and it directed me to here......and I'm so glad I never knew this place existed and it looks great. What a wealth of information here.... :)

My gg/grandfather is listed as an Engineer E & M on the 1881 census.
On previous census he's a Whitesmith.
My query is what would the E & M be in regard to Engineering. It couldn't be electrical/mechanical .... possibly mechanical, but querying the electrical??
Does anyone have any ideas?

Thank you and great forum.
Maureen

[granof17]

Hi there,was googling for occupation of a whitesmith....was redirected here,and it made me remember something I have to do.

Nice to be back:)

[peter nicholl]

Hi,

I did a search via Google for Whitesmith and it directed me to here......and I'm so glad I never knew this place existed and it looks great. What a wealth of information here.... :)

My gg/grandfather is listed as an Engineer E & M on the 1881 census.
On previous census he's a Whitesmith.
My query is what would the E & M be in regard to Engineering. It couldn't be electrical/mechanical .... possibly mechanical, but querying the electrical??
Does anyone have any ideas?

Thank you and great forum.
Maureen
Hi Maureen and welcome
Although junior to the Institution of Mechanical Engineers by nearly a quarter of a century, the Institution of Electrical Engineers was founded in 1871. So E&M could well be mechanical and electrical in 1881.
Peter

[shirley haas]

My ancestors worked in this field in England during the 1700s and 1800s; it recently ended as silversmiths are now - as an industry - are a thing of the past. NOW, there are still those who work silver, but usually - I understand - they are individuals rather than a company. Obviously, silver is here to stay. sh

[Izzycat]

my 3 x gt grandfather was a whitesmith in 1861 & subsequent census returns. Previous to that he was a blacksmith. A whitesmith worked with any white metal & could do also do fine work as well work on boilers, etc. at least that's what my research threw up a few years ago.