How did my ancestor ‘upgrade’ his occupation?
‘James Ferguson was found guilty of manslaughter after a woman he attended in childbirth died’
QMy ancestor Margaret Ferguson married Edwin Hawksworth in 1857 in Bolton; her father, James, was listed as an apothecary. However, her baptism record in 1835 names her father James as a weaver. Margaret’s brother George married Mary Higson in 1853, and again, James’s occupation is recorded as weaver. Could his job have changed between 1835 and 1857 from weaver to apothecary, and perhaps surgeon?
Anita Hawksworth
AWe know that Margaret’s baptism is correct because there is only one other Margaret Ferguson baptised in Bolton between 1830 and 1840, and her father wasn’t James. Ordinarily, it’s unlikely for a working-class adult weaver to become a qualified apothecary or surgeon later on. However, such a career leap might be possible for a young teenager whose medical training was paid for by a benefactor.
After 1815, new apothecaries had to undergo a five-year apprenticeship, attend courses and pass an examination to attain the Licence of the Society of Apothecaries
qualification. Apothecaries who wanted to practise surgery also took the Member of the Royal College of Surgeons qualification. To see if James Ferguson was a medical professional, search the collections of medical directories (1845–1942) and medical registers (1859–1959) on ancestry.co.uk
(unqualified people were not listed). The only Ferguson in Bolton is Fergus Ferguson, surgeon. A trade directory for 1828/1829 also has John Ferguson, Bolton surgeon. So there was a Ferguson family with several surgeons. Is James another son, who didn’t qualify?
Surgeons were important members of their communities, so it’s worth checking historical newspaper articles (via britishnewspaper archive.co.uk or findmypast.co.uk). A search for ‘James Ferguson, surgeon’ brings up news reports about him in 1830. James was found guilty of manslaughter after a woman he attended in childbirth died. One article states he was unqualified, although he was apprenticed to his brother John, a “respectable surgeon”. To find out whether prison records have survived, search the Lancashire Archives catalogue ( archivecat. lancashire.gov.uk). It’s likely that Margaret said her father was an apothecary because this sounded better than weaver.
John and James had been estranged for 14 years and John was assisted by his brother Fergus, who later became the mayor of Bolton. You can see a biography of Fergus and a PDF of his family tree, showing his parents and siblings, at boltonsmayors.org. uk/ferguson-f.html, although you should corroborate the sources.
Michelle Higgs