Whitesmith

[Lindad]

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

[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.

[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