ORDER XII.—TEXTILE WORKERS

Sub-order 1.—Textile Workers

353.—Foremen and Overlookers—Carding, Combing and Drawing

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carder, carding engineer, carding master, card master

(i) (cotton) card overlooker, card room gaffer (slang); supervises all operations in card room of cotton mill, and usually also all other processes preparatory to spinning, including scutching, drawing, slubbing and roving; is responsible for running of machinery and for quality of carded cotton turned out;

(ii) (in silk trade) is in charge of silk waste card room; supervises operations of carding and combing;

(iii) (in wool combing) an overlooker q.v. in carding section of a wool combing establishment or department; cf. carder (363).

carding master (flax and hemp)

as for carder (cotton).

carding overlooker (wool)

an overlooker q.v. in carding department of woollen mill, or in carding section of a wool combing establishment or department.

card overseer (flax and hemp)

as for carder (cotton).

card room gaffer (slang)

see carder (cotton).

foreman

as for overlooker.

foreman carder (felt)

an overlooker q.v. in charge of card room where wool or hair is opened out; adjusts carding machines.

foreman card grinder

a foreman in charge of card grinders (364) q.v. frame overlooker (card room); an overlooker q.v. in charge of carding department where work is done upon frames, of which there are many varieties.

gill setter, gilling box overlooker (wool and worsted)

an overlooker q.v. in charge of gilling section, preliminary to drawing; specially ensures that there is even admixture of worsted fibre passing through gill boxes.

head carder (cotton)

the principal carder where an under-carder q.v. is employed, or where there are several carders; is in control of whole carding department.

overlooker

is in charge of a carding, combing, drawing or preparing department of a textile factory, or of some section thereof; is responsible for setting and running of machines, and often himself adjusts them and carries out necessary repairs thereto; is responsible for quantity and quality of output of machines in his department or section; usually engages and discharges workers; often further distinguished according to department e.g. card overlooker, combing or comber overlooker, drawing overlooker.

preparing master (flax)

is in charge of preparers (363) q.v. and is responsible for keeping preparing machines in efficient working order.

scribbling engineer, scribbling overlooker (wool)

an overlooker or carding engineer q.v. who is in charge of several sets of scribbling machines, i.e. first of three carding engines in series; sees that machines are running properly and is responsible for work turned out; adjusts fate of feed and supervises general working of machines.

speed carder, speed frame overlooker

an overlooker q.v. responsible for working of speed frames or fly frames, i.e., particular kinds of carding machines.

under-carder (cotton)

assists carder q.v. in superintending operations in card room, and generally also operation of scutching, stubbing, roving, etc.; adjusts machines and does minor repairs to them.

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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.