Kosminski's Profession

[Roy Corduroy]

I am not finding the original source for the information that he was a hairdresser.

On July 12, 1890 Aaron Kosminski was brought to Mile End Old Town Workhouse by one of his brothers - cause - "Query Insane" , destitute, born 1865, single, religion Hebrew, class for diet as 'able bodied man'. The occupation was given as 'hairdresser,' which I assume his brother said that. He was released back to his brother Woolf Abraham's address at 3 Sion Square after four days.

The following year he was again in workhouse and then committed to asylum. Again occupation hairdresser. Jacob Cohen, Woolf's business partner was at the asylum and gave information.

or it is somehow a mistake

Aaron could have made it up, or the staff at the workhouse and/or asylum made it up, and at no time did anyone ask his brother or Mr. Cohen about Aaron's occupation. For it to be a mistake.

Roy

ps thanks Robert. Yes I understand now what you were saying.

[RivkahChaya]

So, it's possible that he could have worked for a hairdresser, say keeping the place swept up, and keeping people's bottles of shampoos, or perfumes, or dyes, or whatever, topped off, and however the question was phrased, the brother, who wasn't a native English speaker, didn't understand that it was about professional training, and just answered that his most recent employment had been at a hairdressing salon, and "hairdresser" was what got written? that makes much more sense.

[Sherlock Holmes]

So, it's possible that he could have worked for a hairdresser, say keeping the place swept up, and keeping people's bottles of shampoos, or perfumes, or dyes, or whatever, topped off, and however the question was phrased, the brother, who wasn't a native English speaker, didn't understand that it was about professional training, and just answered that his most recent employment had been at a hairdressing salon, and "hairdresser" was what got written? that makes much more sense.

Yes it is entirely possible that he was there to do what you say he was and that "hairdresser" was written by mistake but are there any other theories?

Mr Holmes