From: tony@proctor_NoMore_SPAM.net   
      
   On 11/02/2022 13:59, Colin Bignell wrote:   
   > I'm new here, so please don't throw things if I have got the wrong group.   
   >   
   > First decade of 20th century, one of my ancestors entered House Breaker as   
   his occupation on his marriage certificate. I am assuming he isn't   
   > admitting to a life of crime, but can anybody confirm or refute my   
   assumption that he was what today would probably be called a demolition   
   operative?   
   > I.e. he knocked down houses, possibly reclaiming anything with scrap value.   
   >   
   > I've been surprised by what some occupations turn out to be before, but the   
   places I usually look up old job descriptions don't help here.   
   >   
   >   
      
   It would meaning dismantling houses, Colin. These days, re-development usually   
   requires bulldozing all the old walls and contents, and using it for   
   landfill, but back then stuff would be re-claimed and re-used. This still   
   occurs here in Ireland if the old building had real limestone walls, or real   
   slates on the roof, or real wood floors, although the reason is now as much   
   about authenticity as cost.   
      
   Tony   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)