Glossary of Vict. Occupations for Researchers

[Archaic]

"Pricker" and "Prig Napper"

OK, for those of you hopelessly stumped by Bridewell's occupation "Ripper", here's some more occupations to twist your noggin. *

What is a

Pricker

and a what is a

Prig Napper ?

Remember, no peeking!
Archaic

*PS: I just re-read my post, and feel I ought to make it clear that I wasn't implying that Bridewell himself is by occupation a "ripper"... such a rumor might seriously alarm his neighbors, not to mention his in-laws.

[Phil Carter]

Hi Phil. Sorry, I didn't mean to overlook your post. You were on the right track, but this thread is specifically about terms for Victorian occupations, such as might be noted on a census.

(I think a person employed to "cripple or destroy or deform" might be termed a 'Mafia Hitman'? )

If in the Victorian Era a person's occupation is noted as "mangler", then it means they operated a mangle- a simple machine that forcibly squeezed the excess water out of washed sheets & clothing by pressing them very hard between large rollers. The rollers had a tensioning device that had to be laboriously tightened by hand, loosened, and tighted again as the clothes were passed through bit by bit.

The meaning of "mangler" isn't unique to Dickens. I just used that as a clue because two of his well-known fictional characters earn their living operating a mangle. As mangles are mentioned repeatedly in 'Our Mutual Our Friend', I thought that clue might help jog people's memories.

Here's a link to a lovely photo of a c. 1880's mangle with a brief explanation of how it worked, courtesy of Shortfinal's blog. (A very nice blog by the way; check it out.) http://shortfinals.wordpress.com/201...s-and-rhubarb/

Earlier in the 19th C. mangles were even larger and more primitive. Operating one of these was an extremely physical job, but they were considered quite modern conveniences as they cut down on drying time.

Best regards,
Archaic

Hello Archaic,

Apologies, We may be at cross-purposes. Although I was not referring specifically to census work descriptions, a mangler as you describe is indeed correct, but one who worked as a crusher of material, was, I believe, also known as a mangler. Long before 20thC heavy machinery, individuals were enployed to spoil, cut to pieces, crush and disfigure used or wrongly produced material using a weight system operated by a sort of ball and wrench handle system, to crush unwanted items- especially metals. THIS is where the meaněng of a box mangle, then roller mangle comes from. (A horizontal flattening as opposed to a vertical one).

The verb to mangle derives from Middle English (1350-1400) and even that derives from a French word. So long before mangles for clothes there were manglers (workers) enployed to mangle, or crush. Whether they are listed in census job titles or not, you know better than I, and I bow to your greater knowledge here.

Vertically, to mangle is to disfigure by crushing (flattening), horizontally to mangle becomes t6 flatten or iron out (in a mangle).
So if you find in Victorian censuses a 'crusher'- then this was, in some areas also known as a 'mangler'. All depending on where they worked and where, i would imagine female manglers to be akin to your derivation, and male to the other, but that is speculation.
Apologies for any misunderstanding.
Even 50 years ago a mangle was still seen in households. I remember them well!

best wishes

Phil

[Beowulf]

Even 50 years ago a mangle was still seen in households. I remember them well!
Phil

When I grew up in the 50s, my father, who didn't earn much, but really didn't do that bad either (he was a scheduler-planner for Republic Aviation) always seemed to feel more secure if he bought something that was extremely inexpensive, and as a result my poor mother lived with many archaic things...I'm not saying he was cheap but...

we had a washing machine long out of date, and very much resembled this 'mangler'. If you put a shirt with buttons through it when it got done it was pretty dry but had only cracked or no buttons

The first one is what WE had....The second one is what everyone else had.

And so 'mangler'...yup, good word for it.

[Cogidubnus]

Don't really know either of those, but the term "pricking a wick" seems strangely familiar, so I'd guess a pricker was something to do with candles or gas lamp mantles (Me old Mum worked in the "Veritas" factory!)...

Prig Napper I have NO idea of whatever

All the best

Dave

[Bridewell]

What did a "nob-thatcher" do for a living?

[Cogidubnus]

Weaved pubic hair?

Dave

[Robert]

A nob-thatcher made wigs for dickheads.

[Cogidubnus]

dickheads

no Robert that was Mark Thatcher!

[Archaic]

"Nob-Thatcher"

A nob-thatcher made wigs for dickheads.

If that isn't what a nob-thatcher does, it should be!

-Oh, if only Robert had written the dictionary instead of old Dr. Johnson and Noah Webster!!

Archaic

[Archaic]

"Pricker"

Dave, a Pricker is someone who "pricks out" patterns on paper. I've read of ladies "pricking out a pattern" before, maybe in Austen? They went along a thin piece of parchment-like pattern-paper making tiny holes to mark the outline of a garment, which could then be made from the pattern.

But guess what? There are two more odd occupations called "pricker".

Pricker: A pattern maker, or a horseman, or a witch hunter. ()

I've been a horse person my whole life, and I don't recall having ever heard that term... My guess is it's an archaic term having to do with the wearing of spurs.

But "witch hunter"???... Didn't they prick suspected witches with pins or something?

If you jump and say "ouch!"- yep, you're a witch!

(Typical male-designed "scientific test" )

Archaic

[Robert]

Hi Bunny and Dave

Apparently the witch finders could prick, or not prick, but either way, things were looking bad for the "witch" :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pricking

[Archaic]

Hi Robert. But why bother with "pricking"?

Everybody knows that the sure-fire way to discover if a woman is a witch is to build a bridge out of her.

Archaic

[lynn cates]

ducking the issue

Hello Bunny. True. But it's simpler to weigh her against a duck.

Cheers.
LC

[Robert]

I think the pricking was to make the witch reveal her PIN number.

[Cogidubnus]

And the prig napper and nob thatcher?

Dave