In 1861 my great-great-grandmother Catherine O'Neal was living in what was then known as Conside and Knitsley in the county of Durham. She was 13 years old and her two of her brothers were already working outside the home. Patrick was 17 and his occupation was listed in the census as a Puddler. What is that?!
Family member name: Patrick O'NealYears of life: 1844 - probably died before 1890
Places lived: Durham, England
Tree branch: Boyle
Relation: My 2nd great-granduncle (my mom's dad's dad's mom's brother)
Relation: My 2nd great-granduncle (my mom's dad's dad's mom's brother)
See the excerpt below of the census page.
A puddler and his helper manufactured iron in a furnace. Iron puddlers contributed in a large way to the Industrial Revolution by producing the wrought iron used in railways and bridges. Puddlers stirred the liquid metal in the furnace with rods that were consumed by the fire in the process. When the metal solidified, they determined when to remove the "balls" from the furnace for further processing.
Puddling is described as a highly skilled profession and an art. In the Blackhill and Consett area where the O'Neals lived, it was a common profession since the majority of men worked in the iron industry. However, it was also a very dangerous occupation and most puddlers died in their thirties and rarely lived till 50.
Notice in the census above that Patrick's brother, Christopher, may have been his helper, since he is listed as a "Furnace boy" at age 15.
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| An American Puddler and his helper removing a wrought iron ball in the 1920s. |
In the early 1980's, Patrick O'Neal's great-grandniece (my mom) worked in the closely-related steel industry outside Boston, Massachusetts. However, her profession was a little more comfortable than his since she worked as a manager in a lovely air-conditioned office at Ryerson Steel.
Sources:
1861 UK Census, Conside and Knitsley
Website: The Small Workshop: Wrought Iron -The Puddling Process
