DOOT: 921.—Caretakers and Office Keepers

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

ORDER XXVII.—PERSONS ENGAGED IN PERSONAL SERVICE (including Institutions, Clubs, Hotels, etc.)

921.—Caretakers and Office Keepers

armoury keeper

(i) in charge of arms, armour, etc., in armoury of a large private establishment or castle; keeps arms, etc., cleaned and oiled;

(ii) may also be in charge of rifles, etc., in drill hall, rifle club or gymnasium.

barrack warden

has charge of all stores belonging to barrack buildings as apart from those held on indent by the units occupying the barracks; is responsible for the care of barracks when empty.

caretaker

(i) (assembly rooms, drill hall, lecture hall, museum, office, public rooms, shire hall, etc., school, college, etc.); curator, keeper, janitor; responsible for building and contents; keeps clean or supervises cleaning staff; tends fires or heating apparatus in winter; acts as deputy secretary for lettings, etc.; generally lives on premises;

(ii) (club, institute, dance hall, etc.); as above, but may also cater for refreshments on occasion;

(iii) (domestic); house minder; takes charge of and keeps clean a private house, bungalow, houseboat, etc., in absence of occupier; usually lives on premises;

(iv) (church, chapel, mission hall, etc.); is responsible for care and cleanliness of church, etc.; directs women cleaners; acts as verger (Church of England);

(v) (dwellings, flats, mansions, etc.); steward; in resident charge of blocks of dwellings, flats, etc.; keeps keys of vacant flats; is responsible for cleanliness of hall, staircases, etc.; keeps boiler stoked, where there is central heating;

(vi) (office); housekeeper, office keeper; in resident charge of block of offices; keeps keys of vacant offices; directs staff of cleaners; usually engages and pays them; keeps boiler stoked, where there is central heating; sometimes provides hot lunches and teas for office staffs;

(vii) (shooting box); in resident charge of shooting box; during season usually acts as servant to owner.

curator

see caretaker, usually of public buildings.

custodian (castle)

see warden.

garage warden

a caretaker (q.v.) of omnibus company's garage.

housekeeper

see caretaker, if in resident charge of a block of offices or other similar buildings ; cf. housekeeper (900).

houseminder

see caretaker (domestic).

janitor

see caretaker ; may also act as doorkeeper (917) (q.v.).

keeper

(i) see caretaker;

(ii) see warden.

lobby keeper

a caretaker (q.v.) in charge of lobby of large block of residential flats or mansions.

mansions superintendent

in charge of porterage and lift staff in large block of residential flats; engages and discharges staff; keeps keys of vacant apartments, etc.; patrols building to ensure that porters are doing work satisfactorily; deals with complaints as to cleanliness of stairs, corridors, working of lifts or any matters relating to duties of porters.

mortuary keeper

responsible for care and cleanliness of a mortuary; usually present at postmortem examinations; may wash and prepare body for burial, news room keeper; a caretaker (q.v.) of a news room not forming part of premises of public library; cleans premises, tends fires and heating apparatus; arranges journals for readers on stands and tables; preserves order in reading room.

office keeper

see caretaker (office).

steward

see caretaker (flats).

warden, warder ; custodian, keeper

is a resident caretaker (q.v.) in charge of old castle or other place of interest; acts as guide to visitors.

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.