Dictionary of Old and Obsolete Occupations - A

The occupations found recorded in documents from prior centuries often appear unusual or foreign when compared to the occupations of today. The following occupations beginning with A are generally now considered old or obsolete, although some of these occupational terms are still in use today. Acater  - ships chandler, one who supplies food provisions to a ship Accipitrary  - falconer Accomptant  - accountant Accoucheur  - one who assists women in childbirth; midwife Accoutre / Accoutrement maker - one who outfitted or supplied military clothing or equipment Ackerman, Acreman  - ploughman, ox herder Actuary  - accountant Aeronaut - balloonist or trapeze artist Affeeror  - official in the manorial courts responsible for assessing the monetary penalty and collecting taxes and dues, assessor Alblastere - old Scottish term for a crossbow man Albergatore - innkeeper (Italian) Alchemist  - medieval chemist who claimed to be able to turn metal into gold Alderman - an elected member of a municipal council; a noble serving the king as chief officer of a district Ale conner  - official who tested the quality and measure of ale served in public houses Ale-draper, Ale draper  - a tapster or seller of ale Ale-tunner, Ale tunner  - one who worked with or was employed to fill tuns, great hogshead barrels or casks used to store ale in medieval times All spice  - grocer Ale-wife, Alewife  - landlady of an alehouse, or ale stand Almoner  - one who distributes alms, provides for the needy; in Britain may also refer to a hospital social worker Amanuensis  - stenographer, one who takes dictation Ambler - one who worked in a stable to help break in horses Amen man  - parish clerk Anchor smith - one who made anchors Ankle beater  - young person who helped drive cattle to market Annatto maker - one who made annatto dye for paint and printing trades, derived from the seeds of the achiote tree Annealer - one who processed metal or glass by heating it in a furnace and then slowly cooling it via chemicals or other means Antigropelos maker - one who made waterproof leg coverings meant to protect trousers from splashing and dirt Apiarian  - beekeeper Apiculteur  - beekeeper (French) Apparitor  - official who summoned witnesses for the ecclesiastical courts Apothecary  - One that prepares and sells drugs and medicines, a pharmacist Aquarius - waterman Aratore - plowman Arbalist - a crossbow man Arbiter - a person who judged disputes Archiator  - doctor, physician Archil maker - one who made a reddish-purple dye called archil for use in dying textiles; the dye was made by bruising lichens and then moistening it with urine or spirits mixed with lime Argenter - silver plater Arkwright -  A skilled craftsman who produced wooden chests or coffers (arks) Armiger  - squire who carried the armor of a knight Armourer -  one who made suits of armor, or plates of armor for ships Arpenteur  - land surveyor (French) Arrimeur  - stevedore, one who is employed in the loading and unloading of ships (French) Artificer  - a skilled craftsman or artisan; an enlisted military man responsible for upkeep of weapons and small arms; or an inventor Ashman - one who collected ashes and garbage   Aubergiste  - innkeeper (French) Augermaker -  one who made augers for boring holes in wood Aurifaber  - a goldsmith, or one who works with gold Avenator - merchant of hay and forage Avvocato - lawyer or soliciter Axel tree turner -  one who made axles for coaches and wagons