19th Century Occupations

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This is a collection of the job titles or occupations of the people living in London in the 19th Century.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Laborer	see general laborer
Labourer	see general labourer
Lace Drawer	A child employed in lace work, drawing out threads.
Laceman	A dealer in lace.
Lace Master or Mistress	Someone who employed workers in factories or in their homes for the production of lace
Lace Runner	Someone who embroidered patterns on lace.
Lace Warehouseman	employed in a lace warehouse
Lacewoman	A lady's maid.
Ladies Jacket Maker	Someone who made lady's jackets.
Lady's Tailor	Someone who specialised in tailoring for ladies.
Lagger	A sailor.
Lagraetman	A constable.
Lamp Maker
Lamplighter Gas
Land proprietor	Manages land.
Landsman	A seaman on his first voyage.
Land Waiter	A customs officer whose job was to wait or attend on landed goods.
Lapidary	Someone who cuts, polishes or engraves precious or semi-precious stones.
Lardner	The keeper of the cupboard, or an official in charge of pig food.
Laster	A shoe maker, one who uses a last, a cobbler.
Lath Render or Renderer	A plasterer's assistant, someone who puts the first coat of plaster onto laths on walls and ceiling.
Latouner	Someone who works with latten, a brass-like metal alloy.
Lattener	A brass worker. See Latouner.
Launderer	washer
Launderess or Laundress	A washer woman.
Laundry Woman	A washer woman
Lavender	A washer woman (from French laver - to wash).
Law clerk	a clerk who works for a court or a solicitor
Layer	Someone who works in a paper mill.
Lead Factory Hand
Lead miner
Leaf Stripper	someone who strips leaves from tobacco plants
Learner or Learning	anyone learning a trade which is not an apprenticeship
Leather Cutter	cuts leather
Leather Drawer	draws leather
Leather Dresser	dresses leather
Leather Seller	sells leather
Leather Sewer	sews leather
Leavelooker	Someone who examined food on sale at market.
Lederer	A leather maker
Leech	A physician. Also known as a Sawbones.
Legerdemainist	A magician.
Legger	A canal boatman who had to leg the barges through tunnels as they were not big enough for horses to get through. See Horse Marine.
Leightonward	A gardener.
Lemon Dealer
Letter Carrier	A postman
Letterpress Printer	A printer using the letterpress printing method.
Licensed Messenger	A messenger
Licensed Reader, Preach	A preacher
Licensed Victualler	one who is licensed to sell alcoholic beverages
Life Buoy Maker
Lighterman	A worker on a flat-bottomed boat, a lighter.
Limeburner	A maker of lime.
Limner	A draughtsman or artist. An illustrator or painter.
Linen, flax manufacturer	A manufacturer of linen.
Linener	A shirtmaker, or linen draper.
Liner or Lyner	A flax dresser.
Linkerboy or Man	Someone who carried a link or torch to guide people through the streets at night for a small fee, or a general manservant.
Lint Maker	Someone who made lint.
Lister or Litster	Someone who dyed textiles.
Litho Printer	A printer who used the litho method.
Litterman	A horse groom.
Liveryman	Cared for horses for a fee
Loadsman	A ship's pilot.
Loblolly Boy	An errand boy, or a surgeon's assistant on a ship.
Lock Keeper	Someone who oversees the operation of canal locks.
Lodge Porter	Someone who looks after a lodging house.
Lodging House Keeper	Someone in charge of a lodging house.
Lodging House Manager	Someone in charge of or owner of a lodging house.
Lodger	Someone who sleeps in a lodging house. See Boarder.
Log Reader
Log Wood Grinder	Someone who prepared a dye made from logwood, used in the textile industry.
Lokeer	A locksmith
Longshoreman	A stevedore
Long Song Seller	A street seller who sold songsheets of popular music printed on paper about a yard long.
Looking Glass Fitter	Someone who fits mirrors.
Looking Glass Gilder	Someone who gilds the frames of mirrors.
Looking Glass Maker	Someone who makes mirrors.
Lorimer, Loriner or Lormer	A maker of bridles, spits, and other metal parts for the harnesses of horses. Also a maker of small ironware, or a worker in wrought iron. See Spurrier
Lorner	Maker of horse gear
Lotseller	A street seller.
Lum Swooper	A chimney sweep.
Lumper	A dock labourer who loaded and unloaded timber from ships, who was employed by a Master Lumper. Also a fine grained saltmaker, from the practice of moulding salt into lumps.
Lungs	An alchemist's servant whose duty was to fan the fire.

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