Samuel Barker - Sloting machine worker?

[Brian]

On the 1891 Census 12/4167/61/29/174 at 108 Ferry St Hedworth Monkton & Jarrow Samuel Barker 37 is described as a sloting? machine worker. Is this a part of the ship building industry or should it be slotting or slating? Any thoughts or expertise on this would be most welcome. I have looked on the old occupations listed on GENUKI to no avail, I have also Googled where sloting is mentioned but it leaves me none the wiser!

What do you think or does anybody on this list know?

I look forward to any comments. Thanks in anticipation.

Brian

[AnnB]

I wonder if it could be a mis-spelling for 'slotting machine worker'? If you put slotting machine into Google, you'll come up with a lot of hits, including one at http://www.ingenious.org.uk/See/Tradeandindustry/Handandmachinetools/?pageNo=18&s=S1&viewby=images& which shows a picture of one particular type. I may be way off, but it is just a thought ;)
Best wishes
Ann

[Brian]

Thanks Ann
It would seem that a slotting machine makes holes of a large diameter parallel to each other so that could well be it and it would fit in with an industry such as ship building. Unless anyone knows any different!

Brian

[Peter Goodey]

"slotter; slotter machinist, slotting machine man; sets-up and operates slotting machine which cuts slots in metal, or slots-off portions of metal; lathes and milling machines are oommonly used for this purpose, see lathe hand, miller; sometimes specifically designated, e.g., flyer slotter (textile machinery), machine knife slotter, plate slotter,spindle slotter"

- Dictionary of Occupational Terms

[Brian]

Many thanks Peter that seems to confirm it. That dictionary is a treasure, as we go into the future more and more of these old terms will be lost as people will no longer have parents and grandparents who have told them of the occupations they worked in and the specialist equipment and terms used. Living in the south of the country a lot of these industrial terms are completely alien, still I suppose there are a lot of rural terms not known elsewhere too.

Cheers

Brian