What is a "Drawboy" .....

Colin Bain · Post by **Colin Bain** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 8:19 am

In the 1841 Census the occupation of my ggrandfather's brother (a 10-yo lad living with family in Anderston, Glasgow) is recorded as "Drawboy".

I would be grateful if somebody can help out with a description/explanation of this "occupation".
Thanks
Colin

Post by **Tracey** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 8:31 am

Hello Colin

Welcome to Talkingscot

On here http://rmhh.co.uk/occup/t.html it says

Drawboy - Weavers assistant - sat on the looms to lift the heavy warps

Tracey

Edit ..............Clicking on our "Sources" tab at the top of the page and then Old Scottish Occupations it has Drawer - Mine worker pushing or dragging coal carts

Russell · Post by **Russell** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 12:10 pm

Hi Colin

given the Anderston location and Glasgow's heacvy concentration on Cotton/muslin weaving I would take Tracey's definition as the most likely in this case.
Draw boys had to clamber through the frame of the loom so that the 'beamer' could bring through the individual threads of the warp through the heddle onto the front draw roller where the finished weave was rolled. It must have been a dusty messy job with all the lint and debris from previous weaves gatherd there.

Russell.