Traveller in Hardware

[Joanna]

Does anyone know what specifically this would mean?

Thanks

 

[Joanna]

Sorry, also, later listed as "Commercial Traveller"

 

[Oisin]

A travelling salesman dealing in the kinda stuff you'd see in a hardware shop; iron mongery, DIY, that sorta thing before the term was even thought of - certainly nuttin' to do with computer equipment.

 

[patannegray]

old occupations

https://rmhh.co.uk/occup/w.html


I have found this site easy to use, although there is nothing specific for 'traveller in hardware'. But until the 1960's there were regular door-to-door hardware travellers - I remember my parents buying a vacuum cleaner and an electric sewing machine (atlas make) which I still have and use - come to think of it the vac lasted a long time too!

My grandmother paid a 'tallyman' each week to get shoes and overcoats etc. - this was from the 1920's until the late 1950's - a bit like the modern day system of buying from a catalogue I suppose!

 

[Alan Tucker]

A date was needed here. In the 19thC hardware was something made of metal and not as narrow as 'ironmongery'. c1866 book title 'Bham and the Midland Hardware' district. A traveller in hardware could be a firm's salesperson to wholesale/retail rather than a 'pedlar'.

 

[Joanna]

Thanks for all your help, was thinking it might be something like that.

Alan, the dates in question would be late 19th century on 1881 and 1891 Census.

 

[GER22VAN]

Still Puzzled.

I was puzzled by Iron Merchant (1897) and thought it may have been Rag and Bone man. I still remain puzzed as there is nothing in the Trade Directories that help.

 

[Alan Tucker]

I was puzzled by Iron Merchant (1897) and thought it may have been Rag and Bone man. I still remain puzzed as there is nothing in the Trade Directories that help.

An iron merchant in 1897 is a merchant who deals in iron i.e. buys and sells. A middle class occupation.
At that date you could also have...
Merchant
General Merchant
Export Merchant
Merchant (Brazil trade) etc
Foreign Merchant
Jewel Merchant
Hardware Merchant

 

[GER22VAN]

Alan. Thank you for your reply, it is puzzling at times. To give an example my great grandfather appears in a trade directory as bricklayers labourer ( advertising himself for hire, instead of going to a hiring fair? )
I also wonder if a trader could escape the inclusion in a trade directory because of the fact that he was mobile ( business from horse and cart.)

 

[Alan Tucker]

Merchant etc

Where the status level of an occupation is not totally clear for 19th people where possible use a census return. If the 'trader' etc has at least one servant he is at the higher end of the urban occupational scale; no servants the lower end.