ORDER XXVI.—PERSONS EMPLOYED IN ENTERTAINMENTS AND SPORT

Sub-order 1.—Persons Employed in Entertainments and Sport

889.—Money Takers, Check Takers, Janitors, Programme Sellers, Attendants

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attendant, cinema, theatre ; janitor, usher, seat usher

(i) takes tickets at entrance to auditorium and conducts patrons to their seats; sells programmes, chocolates, light refreshments, etc.; covers and uncovers seats;

(ii) directs patrons in vestibule, acts as doorkeeper, cleans and renews advertisement boards and photograph frames, during performance removes objectionable persons, if necessary.

attendant, ring

prepares arena of circuses, tournaments, etc., by carrying into ring and fixing up properties to be used by performers; removes them from ring after performance.

box office clerk, box office keeper

issues tickets and takes money for current or future performances at a box office at entrance to theatre, music hall, etc.; may also deal with telephonic enquiries with regard to price of seats and accommodation available; of. box office telephone operator.

box office manager

is in charge of arrangements for issuing tickets and for booking seats at a theatre, music hall, etc., usually assisted by box office clerk (q.v.); deals with returns from outside ticket selling agencies; renders return of receipts from sale of tickets, etc. to business manager (880) (q.v.).

box office telephone operator

attends to telephone in box office of theatre, music hall, etc., answering enquiries with regard to price of seats and accommodation available, and booking seats for patrons.

check taker

a cinema or theatre attendant (q.v.) who collects checks and tickets from patrons entering auditorium of theatre, music hall, etc.; sometimes directs people to their seats, and performs other miscellaneous duties.

chocolate seller

sells chocolate and other sweetmeats from a tray in theatre or sports grounds and other places of amusement; cf. hawker or seller (street) (777).

collector

general term for person who collects money or tickets at a public entertainment, including check taker, money taker, turnstile attendant (q.v.).

gateman

see stileman.

green coat

a uniformed attendant who appears before curtain and changes numbers at sides of proscenium to indicate item of programme about to be shown; term almost obsolete.

housekeeper (theatre)

is in charge of cleaners (922) (q.v.) at a theatre, music hall, etc., and is responsible for seeing that the work is properly done; in most London theatres, is resident at theatre.

janitor

see attendant, cinema.

linkman

a uniformed attendant employed in entrance hall of theatres and music halls, etc.; attends at carriage door when patrons are arriving or departing; calls taxicabs required by patrons; term, almost obsolete.

money taker

is employed at pay desk of cinema, turnstile of sports ground, etc., issuing tickets of admission in exchange for cash.

page (cinema)

a uniformed junior attendant at a cinematograph theatre; directs patrons to box office and to auditorium; assists cinema attendant (q.v.) generally.

pier gate keeper, pleasure pier gate keeper

takes money or tickets at entrance to pier; issues season tickets, fishing tickets, etc.; sometimes acts as box office clerk (q.v.) for pier concerts, etc.; posts up announcements, posters, etc.

programme boy, girl, seller

(i) sells programmes, etc., often also chocolates and cigarettes, in a public place of entertainment; may show patrons to their seats and/or serve light refreshments in auditorium;

(ii) sells race cards, score cards, etc., at race course, cricket or sports ground.

stage doorkeeper

a theatrical attendant (q.v.) in charge of stage door of a theatre, music hall, etc., to prevent entrance of unauthorised persons; often also acts as timekeeper (962) (q.v.) and as private telephone exchange operator (756) (q.v.).

stileman ; gate-man

marshals people entering circus, exhibition, tournament, etc., and controls traffic at exit gates.

turnstile attendant, man

takes money at turnstile at entrance to sports ground, pier, exhibition, race course, etc.

usher, seat usher, (theatre, etc.)

see attendant, cinema, theatre; term almost obsolete.

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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.