Big Book - P

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Pack Thread Spinner Operator of a thread or twine making machine

Paintress A woman who painted pottery by hand

Palatinate area in Germany known as the Pfalz, Rheinland Pfalz and Bavarian Pfalz from which thousands of families immigrated to colonial America.

Palatine Territory which belongs to the Sovereign. May be seen in Church registers for Lancashire and Cheshire, both of which have areas of Palatinates. Useful for tracking Wills.

Paleograph study of handwriting

Paletot A loose fitting cloak for a male or female; a 19th century fitted jacket for a woman

Paling Man Eel seller

Palister Park keeper/Green keeper

Palsgrave A Count Palatine

Pannage the right to, or the payment for, the pasturage of pigs.

Pannier Man A fishmonger

Pansmith Pan maker or repairer/ a metal worker

Paper Stainer Wallpaper maker

Paperer Put sewing needles into paper packets ready selling

Papist A Roman Catholic

Pargeter Applied ornamental plaster to buildings, (specifically pargetting plaster)

Parent county the county from which a new county is formed.

Parish- An ecclesiastical area, with its own church and churchmen.

Parish chest A term used for the collection of records for a given church, which are NOT bmds. There may be Wills, Removal Orders, Settlement Orders, Poor Law records and much more.

Parish Register A collection of baptisms, marriages and burials for the Parish Church. these can start as early as 1532 and run to the present day.

Passenger List A ships list of passengers, usually referring to those ships arriving in the from Europe.

Pasteler Chef that made pastry

Patent Grant of land from a government to an individual.

Paternal Related through one’s father; on one's father's side of the family.

Paternal line line of descent traced through the father's ancestry.

Paternity Order A court order taken out for the maintenance of (usually) an illegitimate child. Found in Magistrate's court records, or Petty Session Court records.

Patriot One who loves his country and supports its interest.

Patronymics patronymics is the practice of creating last names from the name of one's father. For example, Robert, John's son, would become Robert Johnson. Robert Johnson's son John would become John Robertson.

Pattern Maker Made wood patterns for the making of metal objects. eg. Patterns for castings etc.

Peculiar (ecclesiatical) A church or parish which is exempt from the jurisdiction of the diocese in which it lies. These churches often performed "no questions asked" marriages without the usual need to be resident in the Parish

Pedascule A schoolmaster

Pedigree Ancestry; bloodline; Family tree; lineage

Pedigree Chart A chart which includes the direct ancestors (parents, grand-parents, etc.) of an individual. Does not include brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles or other relatives.

Peeler A policeman. Named after Robert Peel, founder of the police.

Pension - Money paid regularly to an individual, especially by a government as reward for military service during wartime or upon retirement from government service.

Pensioner One who receives a pension.

Perambulator A Surveyor

Perch (measurement) - 5 1/2 yards; a pole; a rod.

Phthisis Tuberculosis; consumption. Often seen as a cause of death on 19th century death certificates. There was no cure before the discover of penicillin.

Piece Broker Dealer in fabric, usually remnants

Pikeman Miller's assistant / One who worked a turnpike

Pilot Steered a ship

Piper An innkeeper

Pit Brow Lass Surface worker at the coalmines (female)

Pitman Coal miner

Plaiter/Platter Made straw plaits for hat making

Planker Prepared (planked) felt for hat-making.

Platelayer Laid and maintained railway tracks.

Plumber Applied sheet lead for roofing, usually in sheets. Placed lead for stained glass windows.

P.o.a. (abbreviation) power of attorney.

Pin Pointer/pointer A needle or pin sharpener /A lace-maker.

Pointsman Changed the points on the railway track

Pole 5 1/2 yards; a perch; a rod.

Poll Head or taxable person; list or record of persons, especially for taxing or voting

Poller / Powler A barber

Pony Driver Drove the pit ponies (often children)

Post Latin prefix meaning after, as in post-war economy.

Poster Broke rocks in quarries

Posterity Descendants; those who come after.

Posthumous a child born after the death of the father.

Post nominal initials after name indicating rank, honors, or academic achievement.

Pot Burner Placed Pottery into the ovens for firing.

Potter's Carrier A chemist or pharmacist.

Potter's Presser Made moulded pottery

Potter's Thrower made Pottery items on a potters wheel

Power of Attorney When a person in unable to act for himself, he appoints another to act in his behalf.

Power Loom Tuner Maintained weaving looms

Poynter Maker of Lace

Pr. (abbreviation) proved, probated.

P.R. (abbreviation) parish register.

Pre Latin prefix meaning before, as in pre-war military build-up.

Preceptress School Mistress

Pre-emption Rights (USA) Right given by the federal government to citizens to buy a quarter section of land or less.

Prenuptial Agreement Legal document (usually involving property) made by a couple before marriage

Preponderance of evidence evidence of greater weight or more convincing than the opposing evidence; evidence more credible and convincing, more reasonable and probable, and can be circumstantial in nature.

Primary evidence original or first-hand evidence; the best evidence available that must be used before secondary evidence can be introduced as proof.

Primary source primary sources are records that were created at the time of an event. For example, a primary source for a birth date would be a birth certificate. While you can find birth dates on other documents, such as marriage certificates, they would not be primary sources for the birth date, because they were not created at the time of the birth.

Primogeniture The right of the eldest child (usually the son) to inherit the entire estate of the parents.

Prob. (abbreviation) probably; probated.

Probate Legal process having to do with wills and the administration of estates.

Probate records probate records are records disposing of a deceased individual's property. They may include an individual's last will and testament, if one was made. The information you can get from probate records varies, but usually includes the name of the deceased, either the deceased's age at the time of death or birth date, property, members of the family, and the last place of residence.

Progenitor A direct ancestor.

Progeny Descendants of a common ancestor; issue.

Protestant (religious) a non-roman Catholic

Proved Will A will established as genuine by probate court.

Provost A person appointed to superintend, or preside over something.

Proximo In the following month, in the month after the present one.

Public Domain Land owned by the government; creative works whose copyright has expired

Public health acts (expand)

Puddler Worked wrought iron or clay.

Pugger Women & children employed to tread clay for brickmaking

Putter Hauled coal tubs in the mines.

Pvt. (abbreviation) military rank of private

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