Help to read an occupation

[Mary from Italy]

Can anyone read the occupation of William Belcher, 35, living in Loughborough, Leicestershire in 1841?

Some kind of cleaner, maybe?

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec?h...=&pid=15262091

He's a labourer in 1851 and an ag lab in 1861.

[kiterunner]

Lath Cleaner

[Arisnan]

Hi Mary,

It looks like Lath cleaner to me! There are a few Ls on the same page and the first letter looks the same!

[Mary from Italy]

I wondered about lath cleaner; I'd never heard of it as an occupation, but I've just done a quick google, and it does appear to exist, so thanks to you both (and welcome to Arisnan )

[Mary from Italy]

Another quick one from the same family:

Occupation of Mary Jane Stevenson, 44, living in Basford, Notts. in 1881.

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec?h...=&pid=17570760

I'm guessing it might be "inc. fr. inv. of mon." (income from investment of money, or maybe interest on money) - any other suggestions or confirmation? I'm just a bit surprised, because her family weren't all that well off. Her 2nd husband, who she married in 1875, died in 1880; he was a tailor, and his estate was under £200 according to the probate calendar. Her first husband was a bookkeeper, who died in his early 30s, and didn't leave a will.

[kiterunner]

I think it might be Inc fr Int of Mon meaning interest rather than investment, looking at some of the entries on the previous page.

[Jill]

I think William Belcher is a lath cleaver, only because I have one in my tree who started that way )and later became a timber merchant). They split poles into laths.

[Mary from Italy]

That sounds much more likely, Jill, thanks very much.

[Mary from Italy]

Thanks Kate, I think you're probably right.