United Kingdom & Ireland » U.K. General » Occupations

A BOOK ABOUT PUB NAMES - the history of Britain as told through its pub signs

An e-book for sale by Elaine Saunders, telling the history of over 200 of Britain's pub names and including chapters on the development of pubs, working in pubs, old weights and measures, and the links between pubs and noble/royal families. Includes British Royal Family tree and brief biographies of kings and queens since 1066.

Barmaids and Skinkers: Traditional trades and occupations in pubs

An article describing the many occupations found in pubs, coaching inns and the brewery trade over the centuries. The article is taken from a book available for sale.

British & Irish Clock and Watch Makers (c1600-c1940)

Online Archive Library, Trade Directory Lists.

British Southern Whale Fishery (BSWF)

This web site is devoted to the crews and ships involved in South Sea whaling from Britain. Includes two free databases. One with the names of more than 13,500 men who served on these vessels, their rank and ship. The researcher can then consult a second free database for details of the voyage. Over 2,500 voyages are listed with the ship name, owner and other details. Useful for anyone researching crewmen and owners involved in the industry between 1775 and 1859. Hosted by the University of Hull.

CLIP - Crew List Index Project

CLIP was set up to improve access to the records of British merchant seafarers of the late 19th century and has gathered the largest database of entries from crew lists for the period 1861 to 1913.

Family Tree Researcher: Dictionary of Old Occupations

By Jane Hewitt

Findmypast $

Findmypast has searchable indexes; database results and some digitized images are available with a fee-based subscription. Join Findmypast and you’ll gain access to ever-expanding collections of more than 2 billion historical records from around the world, including more than one billion records from the British Isles, US censuses from as far back as 1790, the largest collection of Irish records anywhere online, US military records from the Revolutionary War up to World War II, and millions of newspaper pages from as long ago as 1710.

Five Thousand Ways to Earn a Living

A list of trades and professions taken from British census records and parish records.
[The original link is broken. This link points to an archived copy on the Wayback Machine]

History of the Workhouse

Excellent site full of information on the UK workhouse system. Includes information on the Poor Laws, maps of the Poor Law Unions, scans of original records on diet, instruction, and rules, and more.

Index of Doctors in Scotland During The First World War

The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE) was the headquarters for the Scottish Medical Service Emergency Committee who controlled the enrollment of doctors in Scotland during the First World War. They sent out forms to all medical practitioners across Scotland between December 1915 and 1919 and this index contains information transcribed from these forms.

Lloyd’s Register of Ships online

Lost Trawlermen of Hull

List of those who worked on the fishing trawlers of Hull, England and lost their lives.

Mariners - British Fishermen

Some general hints on tracing British fishermen. The website of the Mariners Mailing List.

My Ancestor was an Anglican Clergyman

Book for sale, by Peter Towey. 86 pages. ISBN 978-1-903462-90-4.

Office-Holders In Modern Britain

Lists of officials who served in the departments of central government since the Restoration. Online lists include Clerks of the Privy Council, Clerks of the Privy Seal, Clerks of the Signet, The Household of Queen Victoria, and Officers of the Green Cloth.

ParishRegister.com - Watermen & Lightermen

Photographers of Great Britain and Ireland 1840 to 1940

Ranks, Professions, Occupations, and Trades

From the Cambridgeshire, EnglandGenWeb Project.

Records of London's Livery Companies Online - Apprentices and Freemen 1400-1900

The Records of London's Livery Companies Online project is a partnership between the Centre for Metropolitan History, The Bowyers' Company, The Clothworkers' Company, The Drapers' Company, The Founders’ Company, The Girdlers' Company, The Goldsmiths' Company, The Mercers' Company, The Musicians' Company, The Salters' Company and The Tallow Chandlers' Company.

Sugar Refiners & Sugarbakers

A database of some of those involved in the sugar refining industry, mainly in the United Kingdom from the 16th to the 20th centuries.