Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

Could a White Smith also be known as a Watch Case Maker when it comes to the occupation entry on a census?

Unlikely, 2 different trades.

I wouldn't have thought so either, however I wonder if he changed occupations, they may have done somewhat similar work, creating from metal?

Have you found him working through directories? Was he at different addresses from census to census?

Could it be a transcription error?


Blue

Hi - A Whitesmith is a man who works with tin or more commonly known as a tinsmith. Had this some time ago on some research I did for a friend. yappi

There are some references to Lees in Liverpool - maybe this is your search target?

NICHOLSON LEE 25 JAN 1764 LIVERPOOL,
WHITESMITH AND WATCH CASE MAKER,OF RAY STREET LIVERPOOL, LIVED ATHERTON ST IN 1792, DIED 1835 AGED 71

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/t ... 1344335498

Nathaniel Lee b 24 Dec 1757 Whitesmith [watch case maker]

http://boards.ancestry.it/PrintMessage. ... .chesworth

There's an interesting angle here:

Most rural clockmakers before the Revolution, therefore, were both black- and whitesmiths who could provide their neighbors with most of the metalwork and repair that they required around the house, farm, and shop.

http://resources.osv.org/explore_learn/ ... &DocID=882

An early example of 'All multi-skillers to the checkouts.'

It appears they had a finger in every pie, I just hope the Truss maker made roof supports and not supports for a hernia.