Blacksmith trade question??

dido2

Does anyone know if someone who's a blacksmith, just happened to pick it up as they went along or if it was something specifically passed on in a family, or that they'd go out of their way to learn it...

I'm trying to place my GGF in the 1911 census, blacksmith was his occupation in 1945, but I've found one family with both the father and son as blacksmiths, right name and roughly right age but in Limerick rather than cork, so I was wondering if being a blacksmith makes it any easier to pin point him!

pedroeibar1

That trade tended to run in families, father to one of the sons. With the advent of the motor car there was a big downturn in the business and many turned to becoming garages/mechanics, as they already had the basic mechanical skills. Guesswork/intuition – he's in 1911 census in Limerick, so after that date the trade would be slackening, so it would be quite possible for a smith to move to Cork for work.
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pinkypinky

Yes, I would not discount them because they are not where you expected them.

Trade directories here might help you - for 20th century ones, you'll probably need to go into the local library.

dido2

Thanks!

I have him listed in his known address in 1945 Guys Almanac and he's listed as a blacksmith then, he had 3 daughters one of them was my GM, and I even though I've found 3 birth records with same mother and fathers name on all 3 slight variations of the mothers names, all 3 are different addresses, so I'm trying to place my GGF now and work upwards, something just isn't sitting right with the current matches I have, I need to make the Daniel O Shea listed in the 1945 Almanac meet up with a 1911 Daniel O Shea!!

blue5000

Hi OP he could be listed as a wheelright, it's a similiar trade. You should be able to get something in parish(church) records too, baptisms weddings etc. Try looking for a birth cert, I think they give mother's maiden names on them. The biggest problem is family (nick) names eg Bill for somebody who was offically known as William.

dido2

Thanks blue 5000

I just tried wheelright and there are only 18 in all of ireland none of them a possible GGF...

This is all city centre of cork city with a few churchs so I need to find out where and when I can see the church records and get around to them!!

I have ordered all 3 birth certs for my GM and her 2 sisters, fathers name is correct, mothers name changes from Kate to Catherine between the 3 but the address is different in all 3 so I need to find a way to connect the 3 addresses together, even if I found baptism records I'd probably have the same problem in trying to connect them all together