ORDER XXVIII.—CLERKS AND DRAUGHTSMEN (NOT CIVIL SERVICE OR LOCAL AUTHORITY), TYPISTS

Sub-order 1.—Clerks and Draughtsmen (not Civil Service or Local Authority), Typists

939.—Other Clerks

Back to List of Occupational Codes

accountant

see book-keeper.

accountant's clerk, accountant-clerk

(i) general terms covering any clerk q.v. employed by firm of chartered accountants, including audit clerk q.v.;

(ii) assists principal in secretarial duties to various firms; keeps transfer and share register books, issues dividend warrants and share certificates; keeps ledgers and other account books; orders goods and, when necessary, arranges for their despatch to companies for whom his employers are acting; checks invoices for goods supplied and for payment of accounts; cf. audit clerk.

accounts clerk

see ledger clerk.

accounts clerk (railway)

a railway clerk q.v. in the accountants' section at the headquarters or divisional office of a railway who receives from individual railway stations, etc., statements of the number of tickets of various classes sold or amounts received for carriage of goods, and any amounts disbursed or received; enters particulars in appropriate books; totals and summarises under relevant headings.

actuarial clerk

a clerk q.v. who, by reason of practical experience or by preparation for the profession oi actuary, has sufficient technical knowledge to construct and use mortality and monetary tables as directed by qualified actuary.

adding machine operator ; comptometer operator

operates an adding machine; is responsible for the correct listing of figures and the mechanical calculation required; sometimes mentally or mechanically checks calculations and additions made by adding machine; operator frequently called after type of adding machine, e.g. Burroughs operator.

addressograph operator

operates a machine for addressing envelopes, wrappers, etc., automatically; feeds in plates embossed with name and address and inserts envelopes, wrappers, etc.; sorts plates away in cabinets, when not in use; frequently also embosses original addressograph plates by operating a graphotype machine; in small firms this work is usually done by a junior clerk or office boy q.v.

advertising clerk

(i) a clerk q.v. who receives advertisements for insertion in newspapers, circulars, etc.; counts up or measures advertisement, and charges accordingly; receives cash, cheques, etc., and makes out receipts; enters particulars of transactions in a cash book;

(ii) a clerk q.v. employed by advertising expert (779) q.v.

allocation clerk

obtains details of quantities of material used on job from civil engineering staff and details of wages expenditure from timekeeper's records; apportions transport charges wherever possible to materials used, e.g. transport of bricks charged to price of bricks; adds proportionate overhead charges and so obtains cost of completed works.

amanuensis

writes, from dictation, letters, articles, literary work, etc.

assistant accountant

as for accountant.

assistant book-keeper

as for bookkeeper.

assistant cashier

as for cashier, whom he/she assists in routine and less responsible duties, and for whom he/she deputises.

assistant chief clerk

as for chief clerk (931) but has less responsibility; assists chief clerk in his work and generally acts as deputy.

assistant secretary

as for secretary (930) .

assurance company's clerk

see insurance clerk.

audit clerk

(i) (in accountant's office), see audit clerk, junior and audit clerk, senior;

(ii) auditor; a clerk q.v. who is employed in the audit department of a bank or insurance office, friendly society, trade union or other business having a number of branches, to visit a branch, examine accounts, compare vouchers, etc., with entries in cash book, ledgers, etc., and to submit a report in proper form;

(iii) (railway) a railway clerk q.v. employed in the audit department at the headquarters or divisional office of a railway.

audit clerk, junior audit clerk

assists senior audit clerk q.v. on an audit by extracting the necessary details from ledgers, cash books, etc., or by calling out figures to be incorporated in accounts or balance sheet; cf. accountant's clerk.

audit clerk, senior audit clerk

investigates and verifies balance sheet already prepared by a firm's employees, or prepares all accounts and balance sheet from a firm's ledgers, cash books, etc., where no balance sheet is prepared; submits balance sheet to principal with details of queries which may have arisen, together with general report of work done; may investigate a firm's accounts for certifying profits and accounts for use in connection with the issue of a prospectus, or prepare accounts for bankruptcy proceedings, liquidation or receivership; sometimes, under instruction of principal, carries on financial affairs of a concern in liquidation, and acts as receiver; may also collect and/or prepare information for computation of taxation assessments.

auditor

see audit clerk.

authorised clerk (Stock Exchange)

a clerk q.v. authorised by his firm and sanctioned by committee of Stock Exchange to appear on 'change and to transact on the floor of the House all classes of business on behalf of his principals, who may be either stock jobbers or stock brokers, who are members of the Stock Exchange.

baggage clerk

receives particulars and collects charges for the carriage of baggage other than personal luggage; makes arrangements for the collection of baggage in advance and for delivering it at destination; forwards, at stated intervals, particulars of cash received, etc., to head office; in tourists' agencies, books excess baggage to destination and arranges for its collection; negotiates with railway transport companies as to charges and facilities; receives and answers complaints and queries and initiates enquiries.

balance clerk

as for accountant's clerk.

bank clerk

a clerk q.v. who makes out pass books, enters up ledger accounts from cashier's journals, writes routine letters, and sends out forms, reminders, etc.; works out exchange rate of foreign remittances and amount of English money required to pay a foreign debt; acts generally under instructions of cashier and manager (791) q.v.

bank teller

see cashier, bank.

barrister's clerk

a law clerk q.v. , employed by barrister, who accepts briefs, makes appointments, keeps a record of engagements, keeps important documents filed or locked away, keeps account of fees and out-of-pocket expenses, and makes out barrister's accounts; "watches the lists" to note when cases, in which his employer is engaged, are set down for hearing; accompanies his employer to court and sometimes on circuit, to take messages, fetch and carry documents, etc.

bill clerk

see costs clerk (law).

booking clerk (railway) ; ticket clerk, ticket office clerk

issues tickets to intending travellers, receives cash, keeps record of tickets issued and prepares certain returns; at the larger stations, work is sectionalised and particular duties are allocated to each clerk, e.g. excess luggage work; at the smaller stations, also does work of parcels clerk q.v.

booking clerk (shipping service)

issues tickets to intending travellers; calculates rates and certain taxes required by different countries, allocates berths and advises traveller generally; checks passports, keeps in constant communication with other shipping offices also booking passages, to avoid duplication; enters particulars of transactions in accounts books; answers communications with regard to passages booked, nature of accommodation, facilities, times of departure, etc.

book-keeper ; accountant

(i) keeps accounts, or in large businesses, a section of accounts; in latter case, is responsible to chief book-keeper (930) q.v.; enters particulars of sales and purchases, etc., with prices paid or sums received in cash or by cheque, postal order, etc., from rough journal or day book into ledger or cash book, etc.; adds up entries, and makes provisional balances;

(ii) in small retail businesses, keeps accounts; receives orders, if by post, and instructs packers (949) or vanman (719) q.v.; enters up customers' books with details of goods purchased or returned; makes out weekly or monthly bills; keeps ledgers and account books; books cash received from shop or amounts handed in to shop; replies to minor queries and letters from customers; sometimes also acts as cashier (shop) q.v.

caissiere (French term)

see cashier (shop).

canal check clerk

as for toll clerk.

canal wharf clerk

a weighing clerk q.v. who weighs goods, entering or leaving wharf, on weighing machine; records charges for loading or unloading of boats, including charges for storage or wharf or in warehouse on wharf; allocates storage space and makes return of all charges to headquarters of canal company.

canvassing clerk

a clerk q.v. in an advertising office, or sometimes in the office of a newspaper or journal, who fills up spare time by calling on advertisers to induce them to give an order to his own firm; cf. canvasser (774).

card writer (factory or works)

writes notices, warnings, cautions, announcements, etc., to be placed in factory or works; writes ornamental labels for files, boxes, etc.; writes show and price labels; writes addresses on large packing cases, etc.; sometimes designs ornamental lettering for tins, cartons, advertisements, etc.

cash clerk

receives cash taken in shop; gives receipt and, where necessary, change; receives slips of petty cash expenditure, e.g. fares paid by salesmen (775) q.v. and pays; enters up details of receipts and disbursements in relevant books; passes cash book to ledger clerk q.v. for entering up details of cheques or cash paid in shop in settlement of outstanding accounts.

cashier

is in charge of all cash and responsible for all cash transactions; pays wages, keeps petty cash accounts; sends out bills for goods or services rendered; receives any cash that comes with orders or in payment of accounts and enters it in cash book, or which is paid in by other workers or officials who receive money during the course of their duties; takes cash periodically to bank and checks pass books, etc.; draws wages and petty cash cheques when necessary; sometimes specifically designated, e.g. tramway cashier.

cashier, bank ; bank teller

has custody of, and is responsible for, actual cash, i.e. coin, notes, etc., in bank; receives deposits over the counter and gives receipts; makes payment over the bank counter against cheques, bills, etc.; keeps records of transactions in cash book and balances against cash in hand at end of each day's business; in large establishments, e.g. head offices, the duties are sub-divided and are performed by chief cashier (791), receiving cashier, paying cashier, etc., q.v.

cashier (coal mine)

assists manager (040) q.v. by keeping wage-sheets of employees, with account of sums expended and deducted in respect of workmen's compulsory insurances, etc.; takes wages cheques to bank, receives cash in exchange, pays wages and obtains receipts or signatures; pays out small sums for petty cash, takes charge of receipts, vouchers, etc.

cashier (dancing hall)

receives entrance money from patrons, giving ticket or token in exchange; renders account oi tickets issued to manager (884) q.v. , together with cash to the amount so indicated; may also take weekly or daily takings to bank.

cashier, paying

in large establishments, e.g. head offices of banks, where work is sub-divided, manes payments to customers, over the bank counter; work is sometimes further sub-divided into blocks so that customers are dealt with alphabetically according to name; usually done by bank cashier q.v.

cashier, receiving

in large establishments, e.g., head offices of banks, receives deposits by cheques, bills or actual cash from customers; work usually done by bank cashier q.v.

cashier (shop) ; cussiere (French)

receives sums of money from customers in payment for cash purchases made hi shop and gives change, it necessary; adds up, at end of day, amounts of checks and bills, checks rotation numbers to see that none is missing, and compares amount as shown by addition with the amount of cash.

cask checker, cask clerk ; number taker

in charge of cask store room in brewery; keeps record of ail empty casks and their previous contents; is responsible for delivering an appropriate cask for the purpose required of it; keeps list of casks, filled or empty, which leave the brewery, and checks them in when returned.

chancery clerk

in a solicitor's office, has particular experience of practice of Chancery Division of High Court of Justice; usually attends appointments (many largely formal) before Master or Registrar of Court sitting in chambers.

chaser

see progress clerk.

checker

see tally clerk; c.f. checker (706).

checker-up

see shop clerk.

checkweigher (manure works)

as for tally clerk.

chief booking clerk

the principal booking clerk q.v. at a large railway station where several booking clerks are employed.

claims clerk, claims department clerk (omnibus company)

a clerk q.v. whose chief duty is to deal with correspondence with the public and the company's servants or depots respecting alleged damages-, loss of property or personal injury, and ascertain facts and details; sometimes visits persons or places involved.

clearing house clerk (bank)

a clerk q.v. at a central office where cheques, paid into customers' accounts, are sorted and given to bank of origin to debit against drawers' accounts; receives bundles of cheques and other documents from bank messengers (758) q.v. sorts cheques and enters in book, names, numbers, amount involved, etc.; hands over bundles of cheques relating to each bank to clerks dealing with those banks; totals at end of day, makes out balances and informs each bank of the amounts owing to it, and from it.

clearing house clerk (railway)

a clerk q.v. engaged on division of receipts from through bookings from both goods and passenger train traffic; receives and deals with returns from number taker (railway clearing house) (706) q.v. respecting exchange of stock at the different junctions throughout the country; performs other duties in connection with matters of general interest to all railway companies.

clerk

files and makes precis of letters; answers correspondence, or prepares drafts for replies, either from dictation, or acting on instructions, or on his own responsibility; prepares statistics or collects information for use in answering letters; prepares schedules, specifications, quotations, estimates, etc., under supervision of secretary (930) manager or head of department (931) q.v., or other officer or superior clerk of firm or company; answers enquiries on telephone, or uses telephone to give or obtain information on behalf of firm; interviews customers or clients on behalf of firm, or in preparation for interview with principal, or other higher official of firm or company; if required, takes notes of conversation at interviews; calls on' clients or customers on behalf of firm; is often able to take instructions in shorthand and/or to use typewriter; often used in very general sense for any person (other than high officials) employed in secretarial or managerial department of a business, as distinguished from manual workers.

clerk (cartsale) ; hillsale despatch clerk, hillsalesman

a clerk q.v. at a colliery or coal merchant's depot; receives orders for delivery of coal; sees that correct grades and weights are loaded on to carts, gives instructions as to delivery, makes out invoices and carters' delivery tickets, collects documents relative to each transaction and returns them to colliery or merchant's office.

clerk to magistrate's clerk

an assistant in office of magistrate's clerk or justice of a petty sessional division; has knowledge of police court procedure; makes out summonses, and orders and warrants of the court; keeps account of fines imposed, paid and unpaid; accounts for fees received on issue of processes, etc.; may act as deputy Clerk of Court in absence of his principal.

cloak room clerk ; left luggage clerk

a parcels clerk q.v. employed in cloak room of large railway station; receives luggage from travellers, issues numbered vouchers and collects charges; hands over luggage when required and checks off items as collected.

clothing store clerk (not government or local authority)

compiles lists of employees requiring uniform; issues uniform when required; marks off items against employee, and receives signature for same; conducts correspondence with makers of uniforms; checks supplies against invoices, and sees that garments are up to standard of workmanship and material.

coal wharf weigh clerk ; weighbridge clerk, weigh clerk, weighing clerk, weigh office clerk

a clerk q.v. in a colliery or coal merchant's office on a wharf; checks in quantities and grades of coal delivered by barge or vessels, and has coal weighed, if necessary; arranges for deliveries of coal to customers; cf. clerk (cartsale).

coke clerk (gasworks, colliery, or coke ovens)

see residuals clerk.

coke and stores clerk

a clerk q.v. in the coke and stores department of a gas works, where these departments are combined; cf. residuals clerk.

common law clerk

is employed by solicitor and may have limited or considerable independence or responsibility; has general knowledge of ordinary litigation in King's Bench, Probate and Divorce divisions of High Court; drafts briefs and other documents and conducts correspondence with clients; attends summonses in chambers; attends taxation of costs; may have charge, under supervisor, of common law department of a solicitor's office.

comptometer operator

see adding machine operator.

confidential clerk

a clerk q.v. , usually one who has been with firm for many years, who acts as amanuensis q.v. to partner, managing director, or head of firm, or solicitor or chartered accountant; deals with more private or special correspondence.

contracts clerk

a clerk q.v. , in costing department, who applies unit-costs supplied by costs clerk (933) q.v. to determine cost of certain specific branches of work, necessary for carrying out a contract; supplies figures so obtained to manager of firm, who is enabled thereby to tender for a piece of work.

conveyancing clerk

is employed in a solicitor's office; has special knowledge of forms of legal documents and procedure employed in transfer of real and leasehold property, e.g. land, houses, etc.; drafts contracts for the sale of property; draws abstract of title and prepares conveyances or other documents; examines title deeds and makes usual searches at Land Registry to see that title is good; prepares transfer and completion statements; attends to stamping of deeds at Somerset House.

copier, copying machine worker, copyist

(i) in solicitor's office, see engrossing clerk;

(ii) in other business, any clerk q.v. employed in copying letters or documents in handwriting or typescript or on a duplicating machine.

correspondence clerk

(i) types, usually from rough drafts prepared by head of department, e.g. sales manager (770) q.v. , replies to customers; is responsible for correct wording and punctuation; returns letters to head of department for signature; usually also opens and sorts incoming correspondence and may himself reply in routine cases;

(ii) see stenographer.

costs clerk ; bill clerk

has special knowledge of costs and disbursements which solicitors are entitled to charge for their services, item by item; draws bills of costs against client for services rendered, and bill of "party and party" costs which solicitor has to lodge for taxation by Court when his client in an action is awarded costs against reverse party.

counter-off (manure works)

as for tally clerk.

coupon sorter

a bank clerk q.v. , at clearing house of bank, who receives bundles of dividend coupons against the funds of a large firm, corporation, or government loan; checks authenticity, and makes out schedule of debits against issuer.

despatch clerk, despatcher

receives delivery notes, together with addressed labels, from the department by which sales have been made; hands notes and labels 'to packers (949) q.v.; enters in goods despatch book record of weights and packages supplied by packers; where necessary, makes out railway despatch sheets; receives and checks accounts from railway for carriage of packages and passes them to cashier q.v. for payment.

dictaphone operator ; transcriber

a stenographer or typist q.v. , who transcribes on a typewriter, letters, conversations, etc., recorded by dictaphone; places wax cylinder in reproducing machine and adjusts it so that a few words at a time are heard through earpiece.

duplicator

operates and controls machine for printing facsimile copies of letters, circulars, etc.; fixes stencil, plate, type, etc., into machine; feeds in paper and removes printed sheets, if this is not done mechanically; inks, lubricates and cleans apparatus as required; sometimes types stencil or sets up type of original; often specifically designated according to the type of duplicating machine used, e.g. gammeter operator, gestetner operator, roneo operator.

engrossing clerk ; copier, copying machine worker, copyist

employed by solicitor to "engross" documents, i.e. to make a fair copy from notes, often on parchment or in some other relatively permanent form, in handwriting or typescript; must be familiar with technical abbreviations and with legal forms and phrases; obsolescent; cf. law engrosser.

entering clerk

a clerk q.v. who receives consignments of goods into warehouse, checks invoices, makes notes of missing, imperfect or incorrect items, initials delivery papers and keeps lists of articles in store.

excess luggage clerk (railway)

as for booking clerk, at large station.

farm clerk

a clerk q.v. employed by a farmer (011) q.v. or the manager of a group of farms, to keep records of sales disbursements, etc., for compiling income-tax returns, showing profit and loss on crops, sale of cattle, etc.; conducts correspondence with regard to purchase of material and live stock required by farmer and to sale of farm produce.

finance clerk

general term for clerks employed by financial houses; performs general clerical duties in connection with the flotation of new companies, issue of bonds and transfer of securities.

fish salesman's clerk

a clerk q.v. who stands by fish salesman (796) q.v. , records the results of each transaction, name and address of buyer, etc., and makes necessary arrangements for transfer of purchase.

foreign correspondent (clerk)

a clerk q.v. whose main duty is to translate letters from foreign clients into English, and translate the answers from English to the required foreign language; may also be a qualified typist or stenographer q.v.

foreman clerk (railway)

chief clerk in goods department at large railway station; as for goods clerk.

forwarder

see tally clerk.

freight clerk (railway)

see goods clerk (railway).

gammeter operator ; multigraph operator

(i) a duplicator q.v. who operates a gammeter type-setting duplicator;

(ii) operates and controls, by hand or electric motor, gammeter multigraph operator for folding circulars and letters; makes necessary adjustments for folding of circulars in various ways; feeds circulars in bulk to the machine and removes circulars when folded.

goods clerk (railway) ; freight clerk (railway)

receives consignment notes in respect of goods for despatch; collects cash in certain instances; invoices goods to receiving station; prepares delivery sheets for carmen (719) q.v. keeps and prepares certain returns and undertakes some correspondence; at the larger stations, the work is sectionalised and particular duties are allocated to each clerk; cf. parcels clerk.

graphotype operator

operates a graphotype machine at offices of addressograph printing machine proprietors, see addressograph operator; receives, from customers possessing addressograph machines, lists of names and addresses; embosses letters, composing name and address, on a thin metal plate, by working levers of embossing machine; sometimes re-uses old plates by stamping name and address flat and re-embossing.

hillsale despatch clerk, hillsalesman

see clerk (cartsale).

Hollerith operator

operates and controls a Hollerith tabulating machine; inserts cards in punching machine and punches according to particulars required to be tabulated; checks punching in a verifying machine, in which the operator repeats the punching operation and if the second operation does not tally with the first the machine stops and the column in which the error occurs is thus located; places cards in a sorting machine, which is driven by electricity; adjusts machine in order to count desired items; replaces cards if counts of other items are required; places cards in batches in tabulating machine; runs batch of cards through machine; writes down total of each batch separately; adds, by arithmetic or on comptometer, totals of batches at end of operation.

hot metal weigher (blast furnace)

a clerk q.v. , responsible to the works accountant q.v. , weighing hot metal in ladles going over weigh bridge; sometimes done by weighman (279) q.v.

inspector's clerk

a clerk q.v. at head offices of bank or insurance company who assists bank inspector (791) or inspector (insurance) (793) q.v. by receiving his notes on branch inspections and casting them into correct form; works out itineraries, routes, etc.; conducts correspondence with branch offices with regard to visits; after reports are approved by general manager, communicates relevant portions to branches; sometimes accompanies inspector on visits.

insurance clerk, insurance company's clerk ; assurance company's clerk

a clerk q.v. who conducts correspondence with intending clients, advising them about the circumstances of their case and recommending certain policies; keeps schedules and lists of policies with premiums demanded and received; receives accounts from collectors and agents and advises them; conducts correspondence with regard to claims and instructs investigators, medical men, etc.; calls on policy holders and reports to company; arranges for medical examinations, valuations of property, etc.; keeps accounts of funds of company, investments, reinsurance, etc.

invoice clerk

a clerk q.v. who enters on invoice form, from original order and other documents, name and address of customer to whom consignment is being sent, details of each item with price and total cost.

junior clerk

usually a youth who has been promoted from office boy q.v.; undertakes the less important clerical duties such as keeping petty cash accounts, dealing with post, checking invoices, drafting routine letters, answering telephone in first instance, or filling up forms according to a pre-arranged plan; cf. clerk.

junior warehouse clerk

as for junior clerk; in a large warehouse, may be a despatch clerk, invoice clerk q.v. , etc.

kitchen clerk

in large restaurants, etc., under instruction of chef (900) q.v. , writes out menus and draws food from stores on voucher; receives checks from waiters against cooked food issued from kitchen and sends checks to control office; keeps account of stores in kitchen, takes stock of food weekly and renders return to control office.

laundry clerk

a clerk q.v. at a laundry engaged in making out accounts or entering figures in laundry book; answers complaints and queries from customers; keeps account books, wages sheets and insurance cards; receives cash in settlement of accounts; may also pay wages of laundry staff; in small laundries, sometimes also acts as marker (918) q.v.

law clerk, lawyer's clerk ; solicitor's clerk

general term for any clerk to a judge, barrister, solicitor, parliamentary agent, or in any public law office, including common law clerk, conveyancing clerk, chancery clerk q.v.

law engrosser, law writer ; scrivener

is usually employed in a law stationer's office to copy documents; duties as for engrossing clerk.

ledger clerk ; accounts clerk

keeps journal and ledger accounts of goods bought or sold; enters up accounts of goods sold from salesmen's order books into journals and transfers totals of account into ledger; renders accounts and statements to customers; receives cash in payment of accounts and returns receipts to customers; may deal with correspondence in connection with accounts; in large firms sometimes specifically designated, e.g., bought ledger clerk.

ledger clerk (bank)

a bank clerk q.v. whose main duty is to enter from journal into customers' ledger accounts, amounts to their credit and debit under various headings according to the nature of their account, i.e., deposit, current, etc.; reports to chief cashier (791) q.v. state of accounts and overdrafts.

left luggage clerk

see cloak room clerk.

lost property clerk

a parcels clerk q.v. employed in lost property office at large station; receives, and keeps register of, articles left in trains, etc.; interviews claimants and collects fee when property is restored to loser.

machine clerk (colliery), machine man

as for coal wharf weigh clerk.

mail order clerk

see order clerk.

meter clerk

a clerk q.v. in meter department of gas works who keeps record of new meters received from makers, old meters tested, meters repaired, meters fixed for customers, and keeps stock of meters.

minute clerk

a clerk q.v. who attends company, committee or directors' meetings; records business transacted, in shorthand or longhand; writes or types out transcript of notes for approval by secretary (930) q.v., etc.; circulates to persons concerned and draws their attention to points on which action should be taken; himself takes action in minor matters; sends out notices to members, directors, etc., for future meetings, together with copies of documents to be read before the meetings; answers minor correspondence about documents, meetings, etc.; keeps list of members, directors, etc., with addresses.

multigraph operator

see gammeter operator.

note taker

see shorthand writer.

number taker

see cask checker ; cf. number taker (railway) (706).

office boy, office girl

runs messages, addresses envelopes, makes up, stamps and posts letters, parcels, circulars, etc.; makes press copies of letters and accounts, and indexes them; sometimes answers enquiries of callers, and puts them into communication with senior members of staff; cf. post boy, junior clerk.

order clerk

(i) mail order clerk, receiving clerk; receives orders with receipt attached, where payment has been made, from ledger clerk q.v.; enters details of order in journal, makes out delivery note and passes to department concerned for despatch or collects articles and hands to acker (949) q.v. for packing and despatch; where orders are received without previous payment, takes delivery note first to ledger clerk to sanction despatch;

(ii) keeps records of orders and is responsible for seeing that they are executed to time; interviews shop foremen daily to see how work is progressing; cf. supervisor (401).

parcels clerk

receives parcels and miscellaneous goods for despatch by passenger or parcels train; assesses charges and sometimes collects cash; prepares delivery sheets for carmen (719) q.v.; keeps and prepares returns and undertakes certain correspondence; at the larger stations , the work is sectionalised and particular duties, e.g. cloak room, lost property office clerical duties, are allocated to particular clerks; at smaller stations the work i's done by booking clerk q.v.; cf. goods clerk.

pay clerk ; wages clerk

prepares wages sheets of employees, calculates amount of money to be added or deducted in respect of overtime, lost time, sickness, eto.; if alterations are made in agreements, adjusts scales and rates of pay accordingly.

piecework clerk

a pay clerk q.v. who calculates amount of weekly wages payable to each employee on basis of output according to returns from works.

policy examiner (insurance)

an insurance clerk q.v. who reads policies before they are issued to clients to see that they are in accordance with the requirements of the case and are legally binding; also that endorsements or special clauses added do not conflict with other clauses.

porter clerk ; unappointed clerk

a railway employee on an intermediate grade, i.e. in receipt of weekly wage on the salaried scale; performs duties of railway clerk q.v. and when opportunity occurs, may be transferred to the permanent salaried grade.

post boy, post girl

assists post clerk q.v. by collecting letters from departments, affixing stamps, making up post bags, taking letters, parcels, etc., to pillar box or post office, buying stamps, having letters registered, etc.; may do certain simple clerical work.

post clerk

receives letters and parcels from various departments for despatch by post; weighs where necessary, stamps, and places in firm's private post box; keeps cash book in which are entered amounts expended on postages; may sometimes open correspondence and sort for departments concerned; in small establishments, work is usually done by junior clerk q.v.

progress clerk, progressman ; chaser

makes diagrams representing progress of important contracts for use of manager; traces and pushes forward work in its various stages from operation to operation until it is ready for delivery; obtains data for his calculations from heads of departments or foreman; keeps a record of output, etc., in works.

purser (mine)

keeps colliery accounts in cases where mine is conducted on cost book system; this system is now practically obsolete.

railway clerk

general term for any clerk in a railway company; usually specifically designated according to duties, e.g. booking clerk, goods clerk, parcels clerk q.v. railway rates clerk, rates clerk; a railway clerk q.v. in the goods manager's office engaged on assessing the charges (where scales are not already in existence) in respect of the transport of goods from place to place.

receiving clerk

see order clerk.

recorder (explosives)

a works clerk q.v. in one of the sheds of an explosive factory, who makes a book record of amounts, kinds, etc., of explosives manufactured.

relief clerk

a clerk q.v. allocated to the duties of clerks absent on leave, on account of sickness, etc., or to provide assistance in connection with pressure of work arising from various causes.

rental clerk

an accounts clerk q.v. employed in the rental department of a gas company, i.e. the department which deals with accounts of gas supplied to consumers.

residuals clerk ; coke clerk (gas works colliery, or coke ovens)

enters orders for sale of coke or residuals; makes out delivery notes for despatch of goods; renders accounts to customers; checks railway rates and charges for goods despatched.

scrivener (not employer or on own account)

see law engrosser.

scrivener's clerk

is clerk to law engrosser q.v.; duties similar to those of engrossing clerk q.v.

secretary (cricket, football or golf club)

deals with correspondence of club; convenes meetings, records minutes, arranges fixtures, prepares reports; arranges for upkeep of playing-grounds; pays wages of groundsmen (899) q.v.; sometimes also keeps accounts and receives subscriptions; where a club house is maintained, is responsible for all details of management of such premises, including catering.

secretary (hunt)

conducts correspondence with hunt members or with farmers and landowners over whose property the hunt wish to meet; convenes meetings of hunt members, issues notices, arranges dinners, balls and other social functions; keeps list of members and arranges for election or enrolment of new members; collects subscriptions; pays accounts and claims.

secretary (mine)

keeps list of employees at a specific mine, gives vouchers to colliery headquarters for stores, machinery, etc., drawn for use in the mine; keeps account of amount of coal, etc., brought to surface, sold, or sent to colliery depots; keeps a log of daily events such as progress of boring, rushes of water, prevalence of coal gas, accidents, etc.; keeps petty cash and wages accounts; works out statistics showing output, sales, etc., so that the productiveness and earning capacity of the mine can be seen as a unit, and sends these returns periodically to colliery headquarters.

secretary, private secretary (not Government)

assists manager, secretary, managing director of a company, an author, editor, journalist, member of parliament, scientist, or other person in position of responsibility with personal correspondence and accounts; opens correspondence for employer, answers routine correspondence according to instructions or on own initiative; prepares drafts or produces previous correspondence to enable employer to answer important correspondence with the minimum of trouble; interviews callers, answers telephone, makes list of appointments, copies documents, makes purchases, calls, enquiries, etc., on behalf of employer; copies documents by hand or typewriter; makes researches on technical matters; is usually a competent stenographer and clerk q.v.

settling room clerk

a clerk q.v. employed by a firm of stock jobbers or stock brokers in the settling room at the Stock Exchange; checks bargains or business done and at settling times performs clerical work in connection with transfers of stocks and shares; when not engaged in settling room does clerical work in principal's office.

shipping clerk (in commercial office)

deals with Customs and has knowledge of consular requirements of Foreign Countries; deals with hills of lading, insurance, ocean freights and rail rates, waybills, carting and lighterage, dock charges and, in a small firm, would also make out accounts for charges incurred; where work is sectionalised, may deal with bills of lading only.

ship's clerk

see tally clerk.

shop clerk (workshop) ; checker-up

keeps record of amount of work done by piece workers for purpose of calculating cost and wages; sometimes done by piecework checker (278) q.v.

shorthand clerk ; shorthand writer (clerk)

a clerk q.v. whose chief duty is to take down, in shorthand, minutes, letters, instructions, drafts of documents, etc.; may also transcribe them, or dictate them afresh to shorthand typist q.v.; sometimes also acts as private secretary or confidential clerk q.v.

shorthand typist

see stenographer.

shorthand typist (typewriting bureau)

a typist q.v. , employed by typewriting bureau, who is available for hiring by client to take down letters, etc., in shorthand and transcribe them on the typewriter, either at bureau or in client's own office.

shorthand writer

(i) see shorthand clerk;

(ii) note taker; attends at company meetings, lectures, committees, law courts, etc., to take verbatim reports; transcribes record of proceedings on typewriter or dictates to typist q.v. from shorthand notes.

solicitor's cashier

a cashier q.v. , employed in solicitor's office; needs to have accurate knowledge of accounts owing to specialised system of book-keeping often adopted, and to large amounts of clients' moneys often passing through his hands; often prepares income tax accounts for firm and for its clients; looks after insurance business; collects and remits to clients interest due on mortgages; keeps trust and estate accounts, etc.

solicitor's clerk

see law clerk.

spirit clerk (distillery)

sends notice to Excise Officer when spirit is being transferred from store to warehouse; makes out Excise permits for signature of Excise Officer, consignment notes for despatch of goods by rail or boat and warrants for delivery of goods from bonded store or warehouse; accompanies Excise Officer on his round and checks duties charged on behalf of trader; sometimes takes "dips."

statistical clerk

a clerk q.v. in the statistical office of a railway company, insurance office, trade union, employers' association, etc.; receives data from branches or departments of office or from comptometer operator q.v.; totals, averages, makes into percentages, or otherwise treats material by arithmetic, slide rule, etc., under the direction of actuary, chartered accountant or secretary.

stenographer ; correspondence cleric, shorthand typist

wholly engaged in taking down letters, statements, memoranda, etc., in shorthand from dictation of another, and in transcribing them on typewriter.

stock clerk ; stores clerk

a clerk q.v. in a warehouse, etc., whose main duty is to keep a record of kind, grade and quantity of goods entering a warehouse and from whom received, all goods leaving a warehouse and to whom sent; keeps a list from day to day or week to week of stocks of goods remaining in warehouse so that manager may order further stocks if necessary, or report that certain lines of goods are not being sold or used.

Stock Exchange clerk

may be either an authorised or unauthorised clerk q.v. performing clerical work in connection with the Stock Exchange.

stock-taker's clerk

accompanies stock taker (780) q.v. and takes down, or checks, lists of goods, etc.

stores clerk

see stock clerk.

stores clerk (gasworks)

checks receipt of goods at works, and enters them in "goods received" book; issues stores to workmen, and enters particulars in "goods issued" book; keeps stock of stores, and advises manager when a fresh supply is required; returns empty packages, and sees that credit is obtained for them.

tally clerk, tally man, tally woman, tallier ; checker, forwarder, ship's clerk

keeps record of minerals produced, of goods entering or leaving premises, etc., or checks actual deliveries or despatches against a list of goods due to be delivered or despatched; at mine or quarry, checks number of bogies, trucks, or corves which each filler (072) q.v. runs to crusher, and keeps record for purpose of calculating output, wages, etc.; «hen loading or unloading ships, checks cargo from warehouse or craft; enters particulars in rough books, and checks in office for weight or measurement, to enable tonnage handled to be calculated; at warehouses, etc., keeps records of cases, bags, barrels, etc., coming in or going out, or weighs or measures goods coming in or going out; agrees amount with carman (719) q.v. and signs carman's receipt.

ticket clerk, ticket office clerk

see booking clerk (railway.)

toll clerk

calculates, from scale, tonnage charges to be levied for passage of boats or barges through lock or by toil bar in river according to gauge or "dip" readings taken by lock-keeper (741) q.v.; issues permits or tickets to skippers and forwards counterpart to head office; sometimes also "takes dips" or reads plates on boat; in small locks, work is usually done by lock-keeper.

transcriber

(i) see dictaphone operator;

(ii) a pupil to a shorthand writer q.v. to whom is dictated the shorthand writer's notes which he takes down in shorthand and afterwards copies out either by hand or by typewriter.

travelling clerk (railway)

as for relief clerk.

typist, typewriter

operates a typewriting machine for copying on paper of required size, manuscript, letters, tabulated statements, etc.; addresses envelopes; makes extra copies, if required, by placing several sheets of paper in typewriter with carbon sheets inserted between them; incorrectly called typewriter.

unappointed clerk

see porter clerk.

unauthorised clerk

a clerk q.v. employed by a stock jobber or a stock broker, who is a member of Stock Exchange; works in Stock Exchange building by permission of Stock Exchange Committee; mainly engaged in watching changes in prices and amending price lists for his principals and their authorised clerks, and in answering enquiries to relieve his principals; is not authorised to deal on the floor of the House; cf. authorised clerk.

underwriter's clerk

keeps book record of slip's, policies, claims, etc., for employer who is an underwriter or underwriter's agent (793) q.v.

wages clerk

see pay clerk.

warehouse clerk

general term for any clerk employed in a warehouse, including invoice clerk, entering clerk, etc., q.v.

weighbridge clerk, weigh clerk

see coal wharf weigh clerk.

weigher (manure works)

as for tally clerk.

weighing clerk, weigh office clerk

see coal wharf weigh clerk.

works clerk

general term for any clerk employed in works, e.g. time clerk, piecework clerk, progress clerk, and sometimes wages clerk q.v.

Back to List of Occupational Codes

---

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.