DOOT: 339.—Other Workers

A Dictionary of Occupational Terms Based on the Classification of Occupations used in the Census of Population, 1921.

Sub-order 1.—Furriers, Skinners, Tanners and Leather Dressers

339.—Other Workers

bark grinder, barker, bark mill feeder ; mill tenter, grinder

shovels bark into hopper head of power-driven machine, shredding, splitting, and grinding it in preparation for use in tanning; sometimes also controls power drive of machine.

boarding machine operator

passes harness leather, after greasing, into boarding machine, i.e., fitted with rollers or blades, which roll it and/or deal it blows, to soften leather.

cager

see labourer, drum (fur dressing).

comber

combs out fur after leathering.

dipper ; dyer's labourer

fetches and carries skins or leather; dips or suspends them in dye tanks; removes them as directed; loads and unloads drum tumblers; assists dyer (335) (q.v.) generally and usually works under his direction.

drum and cage hand

see labourer, drum (fur dressing).

drummer

see labourer, drum.

drying shed worker

assists dryer (338) (q.v.).

dye tray boy

assists dyer (335) (q.v.); draws skins through dye tray.

grinder

see bark grinder.

hair washer

washes dirt, blood, etc., from hair and wool skins as received from slaughterhouse by agitating them in large tanks of water called pokes, in which he stands.

horseman

hangs chromed hides on horses or frames to drain after tanning.

hydro attendant

loads with hides, skins, hair, etc., hydro extractor which extracts grease, liquor or water from them by centrifugal action; switches on or off power-driven machine; empties hydro when process is complete.

labourer, currier's

assists currier (334) (q.v.) by lifting skins and hides, and preparing dubbin.

labourer, drum (fur dressing); drum worker ; cager, drum and cage hand, drummer

loads and unloads drums and cages used in connection with cleaning and leathering of fur skins; fetches and carries fur skins; works under direction of foreman (331) (q.v.).

labourer, drum (leather) ; drummer, tumbler, tumbler man

fills drum tumblers with hides and skins, and empties them when process completed; fetches and carries loads of hides or skins; works under direction of foreman (331) (q.v.).

labourer, dyer's

see dipper.

labourer, lime yard ; pit labourer, yard man

assists in handling hides and skins in process of unhairing hides; cf. lime jobber and pitman (333).

labourer, pit

(i) see labourer, lime yard;

(ii) see labourer, tan yard.

labourer, skin yard

helps generally in fellmonger's yard, loading, carrying, washing skins in water tanks, painting depilatory substance on skin, etc.; cf. lime jobber (333).

labourer, tanyard; tanner's labourer ; pit labourer, tan worker

helps generally in leather tanning processes in tan yard, lifting hides or racks of skins, stacking and draining.

leacher, leach caster, leackman, leacher, letchman

see liquor man ; cf. leachman (333).

liquor man, liquor runner ; leach caster, leachman, leacher, letchman, pumper

puts bark and other tanning substances into leach, i.e. series of vats where they are infused with water to make tanning liquors, under direction of liquor blender (333) (q.v.); turns on valves, cocks, & c., to admit water to vats and to set going automatic pumps which draw liquor from vat to vat for liquor blending; empties spent bark from vats with shovel; cf. liquor blender (333).

loader

loads finished or semi-finished goods into lorries or railway wagons.

mill hand (fur skins)

one of a gang who, under supervision of foreman millhand, (331) (q.v.) grease fur skins, place them in kicking machines for kneading purposes, put skins in drum tumblers for cleaning with sawdust, and remove them when clean.

mill tenter

see bark grinder.

opener (fellmongery)

undoes bales of rabbit skins, opens them out and stretches them in readiness for carrotting.

paddleman

(fellmongery ) puts sheepskins in paddle machine, i.e. large wooden cylinders fitted with revolving paddles; turns valve, admitting water to machine; switches on power-drive of machine; removes skins after specified period; (tanning) assists in filling pits with hides and skins; operates levers to start or stop mechanical paddles for agitating liquor in lime, bate or tanning pits, or in washing or deliming vats; changes gear of paddles to increase or reduce number of working paddles; removes hides or skins, when process is complete, with long-handled hook or pole.

pumper

see liquor man.

rabbit down worker

(i) general term for worker preparing rabbit fur for felt hat trade, including opener, carrotter (338), gatherer (338);

(ii) works on the shaven fur or down to soften it before despatch to felt hat maker.

stamper

marks leather with stamp, either by hand or machine.

straining boy

assists nailer-on (338) (q.v.), strains leather on to frames for drying.

tan worker

see labourer, tanyard ; cf. tan worker (3$8).

tumbler, tumbler man

see labourer, drum (leather).

vacuum hand

places hides and skins in vats of vacuum tanning machine, under direction of tanyard foreman (331) (q.v.); removes them when process is complete.

washer (leather)

washes leather by hand, after tanning, to remove extraneous matter.

washer, bend

a washer (q.v.) who is engaged in washing bend leather, i.e., centre section of hide which is prime quality.

yardman

see labourer, lime yard.

From: A Dictionary of Occupational Terms Based on the Classification of Occupations used in the Census of Population, 1921,
Ministry of Labour, 1927. Digitised by Peter Christian, August, 2016. This text is in the Public Domain.

ORDER XI.—WORKERS IN SKINS AND LEATHER AND MAKERS Of LEATHER OR LEATHER SUBSTITUTE GOODS (NOT BOOTS OR SHOES)

Sub-order 1.—Furriers, Skinners, Tanners and Leather Dressers

339.—Other Workers