Sawyer.

[Steve40UK]

One of my relatives in Birmingham has this listed as his occupation. Can anyone tell me any more about it? I know that something called a "pit saw" was used.

Thanks.

 

[carolina]

Could it be this.

Sawyer

Timber mill/pit worker, sawing timber

 

[Steve40UK]

Could it be this.

Sawyer

Timber mill/pit worker, sawing timber

Sounds about right, thanks!

 

[tim eborn]

Two men worked a large saw with a handle at each end ( about 4 to 6 foot long).
One was in a pit and the other up above and they cut planks from the tree trunk that was laid over the hole of the pit.
This was prior to the introduction of steam driven saws.
Bloody hard work and worse for the poor beggar in the pit getting covered in saw dust.
If you look closely at some old weather boards and the like you can see the rough sawn pattern on the wood.

 

[mikejee]

Some of the equipment in the sawmills was a bit more sophisticated than this. The following are pages from an article in the Illustrated Exhibitorin 1952, and describe a sawmills at the Regent Canal Basin in London.

 

[Alfiec]

My 3 times Granddad was a Sawer, as was his dad.