Vision of Britain | 1881 Census: Ages

1881 Census of England and Wales, Tables: Ages, Condition as to Marriage, Occupations and Birthplaces of people, Table 10 : " Occupations of Males and Females in the Division and its Registration Counties".

Show Dewsbury RegD/PLU table	Mirfield AP/CP

OCCUPATIONS.	Males. [1]	Females. [2]
1. PERSONS ENGAGED IN THE GENERAL OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF THE COUNTRY.	22	2
Civil Service (officers and clerks)	3	1
Civil Service (messengers, &c.)	4	1
Police	10	-
Municipal, Parish, Union, District, Officer	3	-
Other Local or County Official	2	-
2. PERSONS ENGAGED IN THE DEFENCE OF THE COUNTRY.	2	-
Army Officer (effective/retired)	2	-
3. PERSONS ENGAGED IN PROFESSIONAL OCCUPATIONS (WITH THEIR IMMEDIATE SUBORDINATES).	86	73
Clergymen (Established Church)	6	-
Minister, Priest of other religious bodies	6	-
Missionary, Scripture Reader, Itinerant preacher	-	1
Church, chapel, cemetery - officer, servant	4	-
Barrister, Solicitor	8	-
Law Clerk, and others connected with the law	3	-
Physician, Surgeon, General Practitioner	5	-
Dentist	1	-
Medical Student, Assistant	1	-
Subordinate Medical Service	1	12
Schoolmaster	28	48
Teacher, Professor, Lecturer	-	8
School Service, and others connected with teaching	2	1
Author, Editor, Journalist	1	-
Civil Engineer	2	-
Mining Engineer	1	-
Sculptor	1	-
Architect	6	-
Musician, Music Master	5	-
Art Student	2	-
Performer, Showman, Exhibition, Service	3	3
4. PERSONS ENGAGED IN DOMESTIC OFFICES OR SERVICES.	57	590
Domestic Coachman, Groom	17	-
Domestic Gardener	22	1
Domestic Indoor Servant	10	522
Inn, Hotel Servant	5	3
Office Keeper (not Government)	-	1
Charwoman	-	33
Washing and Bathing Service	3	29
Hospital and Institution Service	-	1
5. PERSONS ENGAGED IN COMMERCIAL OCCUPATIONS.	104	3
Broker, Agent, Factor	6	-
Auctioneer, Appraiser, Valuer, House Agent	2	-
Accountant	5	-
Salesman, Buyer (not otherwise specified)	-	1
Commercial Traveller	15	1
Commercial Clerk	70	1
Bank Service	1	-
Life, House, Ship &c., Insurance Service	5	-
6. PERSONS ENGAGED IN CONVEYANCE OF MEN, GOODS, AND MESSAGES.	388	1
Railway Engine Driver, Stoker	58	-
Railway Guard	30	-
Pointsman, Level Crossing Man	19	-
Other Railway Officials and Servants	96	-
Omnibus, Coach, Cab, Owner - Livery Stable Keeper	2	-
Cabman, Flyman, Coachman (not domestic)	17	-
Carman, Carrier, Carter, Haulier	56	-
Tramway Companies' Service	1	-
Inland Navigation Service	3	-
Bargeman, Lighterman, Waterman	64	-
Seaman (Merchant Service)	8	-
Boatman on Seas	1	-
Warehouseman (not Manchester)	11	-
Meter, Weigher	1	-
Messenger, Porter, Watchman (not Railway or Government)	15	-
Telegraph, Telephone Service	6	1
7. PERSONS ENGAGED IN AGRICULTURE.	273	9
Farmer, Grazier	48	1
Farmer's, Grazier's - Son, Grandson, Brother, Nephew	6	-
Farm Bailiff	5	-
Agricultural Labourer, Farm Servant, Cottager	176	6
Agricultural Machine - Proprietor, Attendant	-	1
Others engaged in, or connected with agriculture	1	-
Woodman	4	-
Nurseryman, Seedsman, Florist	1	-
Gardener (not domestic)	32	1
8. PERSONS ENGAGED ABOUT ANIMALS.	23	-
Horse Proprietor, Breeder, Dealer	2	-
Groom, Horse-keeper, Horse-breaker	19	-
Gamekeeper	2	-
9. PERSONS WORKING AND DEALING IN BOOKS, PRINTS, AND MAPS.	9	1
Publisher, Bookseller, Librarian	2	-
Printer	6	-
Newspaper Agent, News Room Keeper	-	1
Lithographer, Lithographic Printer	1	-
10. PERSONS WORKING AND DEALING IN MACHINES AND IMPLEMENTS.	144	4
Engine, Machine Maker	15	1
Millwright	17	-
Fitter, Turner (Engine and Machine)	13	-
Boiler Maker	1	-
Spinning and Weaving Machine Maker	81	3
Domestic Machinery - Maker, Dealer	2	-
Watch Maker, Clock Maker	3	-
Electrical Apparatus Maker	2	-
Weighing and Measuring Apparatus Maker	1	-
Musical Instrument Maker, Dealer	9	-
11. PERSONS WORKING AND DEALING IN HOUSES, FURNITURE, AND DECORATIONS.	376	5
Builder	5	-
Carpenter, Joiner	99	-
Bricklayer	5	-
Mason	143	-
Slater, Tiler	1	-
Plasterer, Whitewasher	18	-
Plumber	26	-
Painter, Glazier	30	1
Cabinet Maker	40	2
French Polisher	7	1
Furniture Broker, Dealer	-	1
Gas Fitter	2	-
12. PERSONS WORKING AND DEALING IN CARRIAGES AND HARNESS.	28	1
Coachmaker	1	-
Wheelwright	13	1
Others	7	-
Saddler, Harness, Whip Maker	7	-
13. PERSONS WORKING AND DEALING IN SHIPS AND BOATS.	23	-
Ship, Boat, Barge Builder	15	-
Shipwright, Ship Carpenter (ashore)	8	-
14. PERSONS WORKING AND DEALING IN CHEMICALS AND COMPOUNDS.	23	-
Dye, Paint Manufacture	10	-
Chemist, Druggist	8	-
Manufacturing Chemist	4	-
Drysalter	1	-
15. PERSONS WORKING AND DEALING IN TOBACCO AND PIPES.	1	-
Tobacco Manufacture, Tobacconist	1	-
16. PERSONS WORKING AND DEALING IN FOOD AND LODGING.	298	44
Innkeeper, Hotel Keeper, Publican	17	5
Lodging, Boarding House Keeper	-	6
Coffee, Eating House, Keeper	1	-
Hop - Merchant, Dealer	1	-
Maltster	100	-
Brewer	2	-
Beerseller, Ale, Porter, Cider Dealer	5	1
Cellarman	1	-
Wine, Spirit - Merchant, Agent	1	-
Milkseller, Dairyman	5	-
Butcher, Meat Salesman	50	-
Provision Curer, Dealer	3	1
Fishmonger	6	-
Corn, Flour, Seed Merchant, Dealer	1	-
Corn Miller	18	-
Baker	8	3
Confectioner, Pastrycook	1	13
Greengrocer, Fruiterer	9	-
Mustard, Vinegar, Spice, Pickle Maker, Dealer	-	1
Grocer. Tea, Coffee, Chocolate Maker, Dealer	68	14
Ginger Beer, Mineral Water Manufacturer, Dealer	1	-
17. PERSONS WORKING AND DEALING IN TEXTILE FABRICS.	1,400	1,489
Woolstapler	2	-
Woollen Cloth Manufacture	727	1,148
Wool, Woollen goods - Dyer, Printer	55	-
Worsted, Stuff, Manufacture	8	20
Blanket Manufacture	73	102
Fuller	72	1
Cloth, Worsted, Stuff, Flannel, Blanket Dealer	24	-
Others	7	7
Silk, Silk Goods, Manufacture	-	2
Cotton, Cotton Goods Manufacture	55	54
Cotton, Calico - Printer, Dyer, Bleacher	9	-
Cotton, Calico - Warehouseman, Dealer	3	-
Rope, Twine, Cord - Maker, Dealer	5	1
Sacking, Sack, Bag - Maker, Dealer	2	2
Weaver (undefined)	20	119
Dyer, Printer, Scourer, Bleacher, Calenderer (undefined)	42	-
Factory Hand (textile, undefined)	241	22
Carpet, Rug Manufacture	26	-
Draper, Linen Draper, Mercer	26	7
Fancy Goods (Textile) Manufacturer, Worker, Dealer	-	1
Others	3	3
18. PERSONS WORKING AND DEALING IN DRESS.	112	167
Hatter, Hat Manufacture	2	1
Straw - Hat, Bonnet, Plait Manufacture	-	1
Tailor	38	5
Milliner, Dressmaker, Staymaker	1	150
Shirt Maker, Seamstress	-	8
Shoe, Boot - Maker, Dealer	65	2
Patten, Clog Maker	2	-
Wig Maker, Hair Dresser	4	-
19. PERSONS WORKING AND DEALING IN VARIOUS ANIMAL SUBSTANCES.	42	-
Tallow Chandler, Candle, Grease Manufacture	2	-
Manure Manufacture	1	-
Furrier, Skinner	2	-
Currier	37	-
20. PERSONS WORKING AND DEALING IN VARIOUS VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES.	52	6
Oil Miller, Oil Cake - Maker, Dealer	16	-
Oil and Colourman	1	-
Willow, Cane, Rush Worker, Dealer, Basketmaker	3	1
Hay, Straw (not plait), Chaff, Cutter, Dealer	3	-
Timber, Wood - Merchant, Dealer	4	-
Sawyer	7	-
Wood Turner, Box Maker	3	-
Cooper, Hoop Maker, Bender	1	-
Paper Manufacture	5	3
Stationer, Law Stationer	2	1
Card, Pattern Card Maker	6	-
Paper Box, Paper Bag Maker	-	1
Others	1	-
21. PERSONS WORKING AND DEALING IN VARIOUS MINERAL SUBSTANCES.	642	3
Coal Miner	466	-
Miner, in other or undefined Minerals	15	1
Mine Service	7	-
Coal Merchant	2	1
Coalheaver	1	-
Coke, Charcoal, Peat - Cutter, Burner, Dealer	1	-
Gas Works Service	11	-
Stone Quarrier	18	-
Stone Cutter, Dresser, Dealer	3	-
Clay, Sand, Gravel, Chalk, Labourer, Dealer	1	-
Brick, Tile - Maker, Burner, Dealer	15	-
Road Contractor, Surveyor, Inspector	1	-
Road Labourer	5	-
Platelayer	16	-
Railway Labourer, Navvy	3	-
Earthenware, China, Porcelain, Manufacture	4	-
Glass Manufacture	1	-
Waterworks Service	1	-
Goldsmith, Silversmith, Jeweller	1	-
[Iron Manufacture]	7	-
Blacksmith	48	-
Whitesmith	2	-
Ironmonger. Hardware Dealer, Merchant	2	-
Tin, Tin Plate, Tin Goods - Manufacturer, Worker, Dealer	5	-
White Metal, Plated Ware, Manufacture. Pewterer	1	-
Wire Maker, Worker, Weaver, Drawer	5	1
22. PERSONS WORKING AND DEALING IN GENERAL OR UNSPECIFIED COMMODITIES.	212	27
General Shopkeeper, Dealer	7	12
Costermonger, Huckster, Street Seller	5	-
Manufacturer, Manager, Superintendant (undefined)	9	1
Contractor (undefined)	5	-
General Labourer	76	-
Engine Driver, Stoker, Fireman (not railway, marine or agricultural)	65	-
Artizan, Mechanic (undefined)	19	-
Apprentice (undefined)	1	-
Factory Labourer (undefined)	24	7
Machinist, Machine Worker (undefined)	1	7
23. PERSONS WORKING AND DEALING IN REFUSE MATTERS.	5	-
Chimney Sweep, Soot Merchant	3	-
Scavenger, Crossing Sweeper	1	-
Rag Gatherer, Dealer	1	-
24. PERSONS WITHOUT SPECIFIED OCCUPATIONS.	51	241
Persons returned by Property, Rank &c. and not special occupation	51	241
[UNKNOWN OCCUPATION]	40	2,151
[Occupation recorded but of unknown meaning]	4	5
[Blank field, or illegible]	36	2,146

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Notes:

The following notes to the table appeared in the original report.

1	This table is a very special case: The original Table 10 as published by Division in the 1881 census reports was limited to data for Registration Divisions, their component Registration Counties, and just those Urban Sanitary Districts with populations of over 50,000. Data presented here for counties and higher-level units are taken from the published reports, as usual, but we also include in A Vision of Britain through Time data for Registration Districts, sub-Districts and Civil Parishes which never appeared in the original reports. These were specially created for us by the History Data Service at the University of Essex and derive from the complete transcription of the individual-level Enumerators Book data coordinated by the Genealogical Society of Utah.
2	In creating these data, each occupation listed in the enumerators books has been assigned as far as possible to the relevant category used in the published reports, but some additional categories with labels in square brackets unavoidably appear. Unlike the published statistics for higher-level units, these specially-calculated data for districts and parishes include persons under 15 or over 65. For these and other reasons, no attempt has been made to ensure that county totals for the districts or parishes match the published county totals. The remaining notes are those that appeared below the original published table.
3	NOTE.--Persons returned as engaged in more than one occupation have been referred to the one that appeared to be of most importance; or if there was no difference in this respect, to the one first given by the person in his or her return. In some cases special rules have been followed: e.g. "Clergyman and Schoolmaster" in combination has always been referred to "Schoolmaster"; a Member of Parliament or Peer engaged in any branch of commerce or industry has always been referred to this latter, not to "Peer, M.P.".
4	The numbers returned under any heading include Labourers, Apprentices, and Assistants, as well as Masters, but not Clerks, Messengers, Errand boys, Porters, or Watchmen, for which occupations there are special headings. Civil, Military, and Naval Clerks, Law, Bank, Insurance, and Railway Clerks, and Government and Railway Porters, are, however, exceptions to this rule. Many young persons, being Apprentices or Assistants, have therefore been referred to occupations usually followed by adults. Women also, chiefly widows or orphans carrying on the business of their deceased husbands or fathers, will sometimes be found under occupations commonly followed by men only.
5	Persons returned as retired from any business have not been referred to that business. Inmates of workhouses have been referred to their trades, unless their age or infirmities showed that they were past work. But persons who might be supposed to be only temporarily separated from their usual employment, such as Prisoners, and Patients in General Hospitals, have been classed under their usual occupations.
6	In some cases, for convenience of space, the male designation, e.g. "Schoolmaster", alone is given, instead of "Schoolmaster, Schoolmistress".

This website does not try to provide an exact replica of the original printed census tables, which often had thousands of rows and far more columns than will fit on our web pages. Instead, we let you drill down from national totals to the most detailed data available. The column headings are those that appeared in the original printed report. The numbers presented here, which are the same ones we use to create statistical maps and graphs, come from the census table and have usually been carefully checked.

The system can only hold statistics for units listed in our administrative gazetteer, so some rows from the original table may be missing. Sometimes big low-level units, like urban parishes, were divided between more than one higher-level units, like Registration sub-Districts. This is why some pages will give a higher figure for a lower-level unit: it covers the whole of the lower-level unit, not just the part within the current higher-level unit.

Acknowledgments:

We are grateful to the following contributors. If you make use of the data in your own work, please follow any instructions given here on acknowledgment and re-use.

(1) Kevin Schurer (Department of Geography, University of Cambridge). Role: editor. Restrictions on use: the data cannot be accessed, although the Vision of Britain system may present them graphically (any other use requires the contributor's permission.)

(2) Matthew Woollard (UK Data Service, University of Essex). Role: editor. Restrictions on use: the data cannot be accessed, although the Vision of Britain system may present them graphically (any other use requires the contributor's permission.)