Big Book - H
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
