Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

Hi folks just a quick one. I am now finding that most of my DAVIES family are turning out to be house painters. Any idea's (and I know this is a long shot) but would it be an occupation like say a window cleaner were they do there own thing.........or because I have found so many of them following the same trade could it have been a family business. What details would I need to check this.

Thanks
Sue

Have a look for clues in the 1911 census, Column, 'Whether Employer, Worker or Working on own account'

Nepotism, no different then as it is now, perhaps just a case of getting a family member a job.

I think that because a trade such as a window cleaner would have an established 'round' or list of customers/clients, it could well have been a like father - like son thing where at least one son took over the ladder and chamois leather, or bought another set and expanded the round. We had the same window cleaner for years working on his own account.

House painters and decorators could have been working on their own or as sub-contractors to a builder etc. Again a like father - like son thing perhaps. Your heading includes the word journeyman which denotes a trained tradesman paid by the day for work done, but not necessarily working for the same 'employer' every day. To be called a journeyman one would have been apprenticed to a master tradesman and served out between 5 and 7 years.

To set up a business as in forming a company would have been a considerable expense and there would have been ongoing costs associated with running the company, such a book-keeping, annual returns etc. I don't think a one or two man operation would even consider becoming a company back then.

I don't know if this chap is one of yours,

1870 Greens Trade Directory, Liverpool & Birkenhead,

Wm Davies,
Painter & Paperhanger,
24 Newington.

If he is, it would suggest he had his own business.