Have come across what I think is the word "chainwoman" as an occupation on an 1841 census. There are two of them on the same sheet and they are in the company of a sawyer and 2 woodsmen. Could this have been maybe something connected with moving cut timber out of the forest? Or any other ideas?

Hi Maggie

Could you give us the woman's name and census reference please? We can then look at the image.

Thanks

Chris

Have come across what I think is the word "chainwoman" as an occupation on an 1841 census. There are two of them on the same sheet and they are in the company of a sawyer and 2 woodsmen. Could this have been maybe something connected with moving cut timber out of the forest? Or any other ideas?

Hi Chris,

Thank you for your interest. I have had a closer look and compared it with other entries written by the same person and I've come to the conclusion that the word is "charwoman". There is what looks like a dot over the word, so possibly an "i" but I think now it is a blob of nothing. So much more mundane, what a shame!
If you wanted to have a look it is an 1841 sheet for Tintern Parva (HO 107 /747 /22) and the sheet number is 11 in the top right corner or page 15 in the original numbering. Her name is Ann Brown living on Monmouth Road.

Regards, Maggie

1841 Wales Census
Class: HO107; Piece: 747; Book: 22; Civil Parish: Tintern Prava; County: Monmouthshire; Enumeration District: 13; Folio: 11; Page: 15 ; Line: 19; GSU Roll: 438844

Monmouth Road

Ann Brown - 30 - Charwoman - Y
Margaret do - 9 - Y
William do - 7 - Y
Elizabeth do - 4 - Y