Nice to see the Vision of Britain version of the census reports referenced!
Surely the point is that all “General Labourers” were also “Labourers”, but there were also many other kinds of more specialised labourers, including for example “Bricklayers’s Labourers” and, of course, Agricultural Labourers.
I have argued that Bricklayers’ Labourers actually had a skill almost as specific as bricklaying — think about carrying a hod of bricks over your shoulder up ladders and along scaffolding, and doing it all day without exhausting yourself.
I think your friend has it the wrong way round — general labourers would be those least likely to have a steady relationship with a particular employer, or even sector.
Humphrey Southall
> On 28 May 2020, at 16:18, David Cant <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/census/EW1911GEN/5
>
> for a detailed account - a search on labourer brings up 60 results. Afraid your friend's distinction doesn't really work.
>
> David Cant
>
> From: From: Local-History list <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of David Alan Gatley <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: 28 May 2020 12:52
> To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Labourers
>
> Hi All,
>
> I have a question from a friend. Before 1911 was there a distinction between a general labourer and a labourer?
>
> My friend thinks that a general labourer would be have an employer and would undertake a variety of labouring tasks.
>
> A labourer in contrast would lack permanent employed and work in what is now called the informal economy picking up work where he or she could.
>
> My view is that there was no agreed definition of the term and from the sources we have its simply impossible to draw a distinction between the them.
>
> David
>
> --
> ------
> Dr David Alan Gatley
> 37 Reginald Mitchell Court,
> Stubbs Lane
> Stoke-on-Trent
> ST1 3SN
>
> Telephone: +44(0)1782-921109
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Humphrey Southall
Professor of Historical Geography/
Director, GB Historical GIS
University of Portsmouth
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