Big Book - H

---

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0..9

---

Haberdasher Seller of clothing and accoutrements

Hacker 1) Woodcutter 2) Maker and/or user of hoes or other cutting tools

Hackler / Heckler / Hackman / Hatcheler Combed or "carded" the coarse flax, using a hackle - a toothed implement - in linen making.

Hackney Man Horse drawn Cab/Taxi driver - Taxis were originally called Hackney Cabs

Haft Presser Employed in the Sheffield cutlery industry pressing bone/horn into knife handles (hafts). 19c.

Hairweaver / Hairman Weaver of horsehair cloth

Halberd Carrier / Halberdier Soldier who was armed with a halberd - a combined spear and axe

Half Timer Child who spent half the day at school and half in the mills

Halmot(e) or Halimot(e) An early name for a Court Baron (which see). The term survived to more recent times in some manors.

Hammerman Smith, hammerman

Handseller Street Vendor

Handwoman Midwife or female attendant

Harlot 1) Vagabond, beggar, rogue 2) 14c male servant / attendant 3) 15c Prostitute

Harmer Beck Constable

Harper Harp player

Hatter Hat maker / seller More Info

Hawker / Huckster Peddler or street seller Itinerant street dealer who carried his wares with him. Often used as a term of abuse.

Haymonger Dealer in hay

Hayward 1) Inspected hedges and fences of a parish and also impounded stray animals 2) Tended fields set aside to produce hay Also Field Master

Headsman Executioner

Headswoman Midwife

Heald Knitter Made 'healds' - lengths of cord with an eye in the middle through which the warp threads on a loom ran so that they could alternately be raised and lowered for the shuttle to pass through with the weft thread. More Info.

Heald/Heddle or Yell Manufacturer Manufacturer of Healds, used on looms. The warp yarns are passed through loops known as Healds, which raise and lower the yarns after the shuttle has passed the weft across the width of the loom

Heck Maker Made spinning machine guides for guiding yarn onto reels

Hedge Looker Oversaw maintenance of hedges and enclosures. Also see Field Master & Hayward

Hedger Hedge Trimmer and maker of "grown" hedges - a skilled art

Heelmaker Made shoe heels

Heir person who succeeds, by the rules of law, to an estate upon the death of an ancestor; one with rights to inherit an estate.

Heir apparent by law a person whose right of inheritance is established, provided he or she outlives the ancestor, see also primogeniture.

Hellier / Hillier Roof tiler or Slater

Hempheckler See Hackler

Henchman / Hensman / Hinxman 1) Squire or page of honour 2) Groom, horseman 3) Chief attendant to a Highland chief

Henter Thief

Hewer Mine face worker - hewed or cut the coal

Higgler Itinerant peddler. A lot of the Higgler's trade involved barter, rather than money changing hands and the name derives from the resultant haggling.

High Sheriff The highest ranking sheriff

Highwayman Robber usually mounted, who preyed on travellers on public highways

Hillier Roof tiler

Hillman / Hillsman A man who worked at the pithead; a colliery official, late 17th-early 20th century (Scottish)

Hind 1) Domestic servant 2) A skilled farm labourer (Scotland)

Hobbler / Hobler 1) Towed river or canal boats 2) Casual dock labourer 3) Unlicensed pilot. More Info.

Hodsman Mason's assistant - carried the "Hod" in which materials were carried

Hoggard Pig drover

Holer 1) Miner 2) Made the holes in sewing needles. Also called an Eyer

Holder up 1) Rivetter's Mate - whilst the red hot rivet head was formed by the rivetter, he would hold a heavy hammer or dolly against the other end of the rivet. 2) Assistant to a forger of chains or shackles by holding up the work. 3) Machinist's assistant, holding up work to the various machines.

Holographic will a holographic or olographic will is handwritten and signed by the individual that the will belongs to.

Hon. (abbreviation) honorable.

Hoofer A dancer

Hooker 1) 16c. Reaper 2) 19c. Textile mill worker operating machinery which laid out fabric in uniform folds to required length

Hooper / Hoop shaver Made hoops for casks and barrels

Horner Made horn cutlery handles, combs

Horse Courser Owner of racing horses

Horse Knave Groom

Horse Leech Farrier, veterinarian

Horse Marine Towed canal barges where horses could not be used

Horse Capper Dealer in worthless horses

Horse-hair Curler Prepared horse hair for upholstery stuffing

Hosier Retailer of hosiery - socks, stockings, gloves etc.

Hosteller / Hostelier Innkeeper

Hostler 1) Stableman, groom 2) repairer of railway engines

Hotpresser Worked in textile or paper mills, pressing product between hot glazing sheets to smooth and glaze it

House Joiner Made the wooden frames of houses

House Wright House builder

Howdy Wife Midwife

Hoyman Used a "hoy" - a small coastal vessel - to transport passengers and goods

Huckster 1) Street seller of ale, often a woman 2) Retailer of small wares in shop or booth

Huissher Usher or door attendant

Hurdleman / Hurdler Made wattle fencing "hurdles"

Hurriers Usually girls from the age of 5, employed hauling coal underground

Husb. (abbreviation) husband.

Husband-Man / Husbandman 1) Tenant farmer 2) Farmer dealing with animals (14th century From the Anglo-Saxon husbonda)

Hush Shopkeeper Unlicensed beer brewer and seller

Back to Contents