What an eclectic mix of occupations our ancestors had! Many of them have now vanished, but are brought to life once more in the books and CDs below.
Many tradesmen started with an apprenticeship and we have Apprenticeship Indexes from 1692 to 1949. Was your ancestor amongst them? One very useful publication is the Classification of Occupations, later becoming CODOT (Classification of Occupations and Directory of Occupational Titles). This has been used to classify the occupations stated in the later censuses and you will quite often find the blue pen of the statistical recorder's writing across the entries.
Maybe your ancestor was involved in mining. From the coalfields in Durham and Nottingham down to the copper mines in Cornwall, we can help you to understand the conditions in which they worked. As well as making shoes for horses, Blacksmiths were involved in other work. Maybe your several great Grandfather was involved in creating the ironworks on ships or the metal fences around the local landowner's fields. Read about it here.
In 1876 and 1877 a return of all MPs who had held office from 1213 through to 1874 was created. In 2 volumes, if you had any Parliamentary ancestors, they could well appear here. When Edward VII came to the throne in 1901, a record was made of every Mayor who was holding office in that Coronation Year. Could one of them be yours?
From Labourers to Landowners, Midwives to Merchant Seamen, the family historian will find no better place to learn of the working lives of their ancestors.