Endangered occupations

[+lumbricus]

Hi,

 

I've an idea, not sure if it's working.

Another hobby I'm doing is genealogy. I often have contact with old occupations/jobs/trades.

During my trips I discovered old shops/businesses on the brink of extinction.

Some examples:

 

Seiler - Cordmaker,Ropemaker

Küffer - Cooper

Wagner - Wainwright

Köhler - Charburner

Bürstenmacher - Brush-maker

Hufschmied - Farrier

Sattler - Saddler

Korbmacher - Basketmaker

Buchbinder - Bookbinder

Schuhmacher - Shoemaker

Schmied - Blacksmith

Gerber - Tanner

Kürschner - Peltmonger

.....

 

Only small craft businesses are allowed. It would be a great way to document these old disappering businesses.

 

What do you think?

 

-lumbricus

[+Benchmark Blasterz]

Why limit it to small craft businesses? Why not ALL extinct occupations. Then you can waymark the changes in technology that gave rise to the modern world, or the changes in society that led us to how we live today, or the growth of new products to replace the old (from pottery to glass to plastics for example).

 

I know that's nearly infinite in scope. EEK!

 

Also - some of the occupations you listed are still active, even growing! These trades and skills are not in danger of being lost to the ages, they have just moved into the realm of arts and not utility.

 

Like basket weavers -- hand woven baskets are readily available, especially in the southwestern US. They are woven by primarily Native Americans as art objects and tourist gifts. I have bought several real Indian-made nice ones BCF (before college fund- ha!) Where you used to have a few weavers in an Indian village, now you can have dozens. The market has expanded so that some fake Indian baskets (and kachina dolls) are even imported from China!! No, REALLY!!!

 

Glass-blower is another example of a once prevalent occupation now moved into the artisan realm. Potter, ditto. Candlemaker double ditto -- all those cool trades you see at Colonial Williamsburg, Fort Worth's Log Cabin Village or Dallas' Old City Park are now making serious bucks for busy folks. We have thousands of scented-candle businesses operating now. And what Dale Chihuily does with glass is astonishing.

 

Another consideration is that here in Texas, all the historic horse and livestock support jobs listed above are still VERY MUCH alive, though less common than 100 years ago when there were vastly more horses and cattle around. Blacksmith, farrier, saddle maker, etc are all good jobs here with lots of work available -- as much as each one can handle. "Livery stable operator" and "trail drive cowboy" not so much, though. Regular Cowboys will DEFNITELY always have a job in Texas!! Some say the Dallas Cowboys are extinct, though --

 

In Kentucky and Tennessee where they make WONDERFUL whiskey, coopers and barrel makers are very sought after, and there are apprenticeships and classes on learning the trade.

 

We have a busy bookbinder here in Dallas who specializes in restoring old family books, rebinding new books in custom covers, or repairing rare library books. There can be a long wait sometimes to get your book fixed, but the bookbinder has lots of business. She is niche-y, but sustainable.

 

It very well may be that folks don't make saddles anymore in Bavaria, but you can order one handmade to your specifications in the Fort Worth stockyards today -- and they take credit cards!! The same is true for hand-made lariats, hand-woven horse blankets, hand-crafted bridles, and hand-forged bits. Giddyap, y'all! YEE-HAW!!

 

I guess the point of all that wondering is what would be the criteria for determining whether an occupation fit into this category?

 

Extinct in one area, or ALL areas?

 

A transition from ubiquity to specialty?

 

From utility to artisan?

 

If obsolescence due to technology was a criteria, then we can add punch-card operators and telephone exchange operators to the list -- number, please!!

 

I think this could be a cool category and I would be happy to waymark in it, but I would like to discuss its scope some more.

 

I am disappointed that you are limiting it to small craft businesses and not government-supported trades. There are lots of trades that were chugging along (some where the government was the ONLY supporter) until a government body put the kibosh on them, and thereby dooming the skill.

 

For example, the Texas county-government-level office of Hide Inspector. Hide Inspector used to be a critically important office 125 years ago, but in the modern era the need for it had diminished. Although these were as a tiny county offices, closing them would have required a majority vote of all Texans statewide -- for each of 254 counties.

 

I think one of the counties in West TX was the last to have a hide inspector. I remember the guy campaigning for the job on the news asking for folks to do away with the office and put him out of the job! His ultimate goal was to raise awareness of this antiquated office, and get them all abolished. (Everybody say, "that's MY kind of politician!" here, and get it out of your system. HA!!)

 

After his specific referendum passed, an embarrassed Texas Legislature pulled this office out of the state constitution, and (after a statewide vote authorizing that move), killed the other offices themselves in the next legislatuve session. Ah, Government process -- it only took five years, three legislative sessions, two statewide votes, and a few million tax dollars to kill 254 (mostly long-vacant) offices that paid a salary of $400 a year. That's some good policy stuff

 

Similarly, the Navy has closed out several enlisted ratings like PM (pattern maker), PH (photographer's mate) and others that have been overcome by technology.

 

So (getting back on topic) I think endangered/extinct occupations could be prevalent and global, DEPENDING ON WHAT THEY ARE. Yak-milker - not so much. Cartographer -- maybe

 

BUT (and this is a big one): What EXACTLY could be a waymark in this category??

For Tarrant county hide inspector would it be the site of the former office? Or a ranch where the inspector did some work? Or the grave of a hide inspector? Or a purse factory that formerly used inspected hides? Would there be a number of waymarks accepted for an extinct occupation(remember: 254 counties, 254 hide inspectors ), or just one? If just one, how would you account for the different manifestations of each extinct occupation across the world? American saddlemakers produced different saddles with different techniques than European ones -- is there enough distinction between the two to make for differetn waymarks?

 

For decommissioned Navy ratings, the same question. Could a WM be a museum with an old rating patch on a displayed uniform? A decommissioned ship where PMs or PHs were assigned? The grave of a PH in a national cemetery? I remember that RM (Radioman) was on that inactivated ratings list -- RMs were ABSOLUTELY INDISPENSABLE for communcation, and therefore, there were a million of them, assigned to EVERY command (I had 1 in my unit, and I ran a legal office!).

 

Could the possible WMs here be any Navy Museum, or maybe a Navy Archives building? A picture TAKEN by a Photographer's Mate? Something made from a design by a Pattern Maker? A command where a PM, PH or RM served? A piece of old commo gear used by an RM?

 

You listed rope-maker -- in the Navy our equivalent is Boatswain's Mate, and BMs are VERY MUCH ALIVE and practicing the historic aspects of their rating, which had been all about making ropes and knots, i addition to general deck seamanship. Check out the beautiful knot boards made by every BM worth his salt. Or the delicate Boatswain's Lace that decorates Navy ship quarterdecks or command boards. Their duties may have changed, but they keep their history and traditions alive. I had 2 BMs in my unit. I loved my "Boats!"

 

No scatalogical jokes, please -- BMs know how to make all kinds of knots, including a Hangman's Noose! They also make nets -- FYI. HA

 

See a current list of distestablished ratings here, if anyone is interested. Lots of obsolete trades are listed here, that even if large industried are disallowed, may affect small craft businesses: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_Navy_ratings

 

I am not trying to rain on your category or be ugly. This novel I have written (sick child home -- therefore Mama Blaster is NOT going ANYWHERE) is a way of trying to wrap my tiny brain around what I could find to waymark here that would be cool and worth searching for. hmmmm

 

Your idea has merit, it just may need some more consideration to define the boundaries and rationales.

Edited February 11, 2013 by Benchmark Blasterz

[+fi67]

An interesting idea, but maybe too difficult. Benchmark Blasterz has already mentioned some of the potential problems.

I guess the point of all that wondering is what would be the criteria for determining whether an occupation fit into this category?

 

Extinct in one area, or ALL areas?

 

A transition from ubiquity to specialty?

 

From utility to artisan?

But I would definitely limit it to small craft businesses. An extension to endangered or extinct office jobs, military ranks and whatever there may be is a temping idea from a historic point of view but multiply the definition problems and lead to a complete mess and reviewer's nightmare.

[+lumbricus]

Thanks for your commemts. I lost two great friends yesterday so I have to handle the wave of deep mourning. It will put this on ice.

-lumbricus

[+Benchmark Blasterz]

Thanks for your commemts. I lost two great friends yesterday so I have to handle the wave of deep mourning. It will put this on ice.

-lumbricus

 

Andreas, please accept our deepest condolences on the loss of two very treasured friends. We are very sorry for your loss.

 

We also extend our thoughts and prayers to the families of the departed.

 

We hope that you will remember the good times you had with your friends, and that these memories will both comfort and sustain you in the coming days.

 

LPCox AKA Mama Blaster

[+lumbricus]

Thank you Laura.