Just WHAT is a slaker?

[Invictas]

I read on the 1911 census that one of my ancestors (female) was a SLAKER(it was quite clear).I can't find it anywhere on the net.
Does anyone have any idea what it could be?
She lived in Shepherds Bush/Acton,if that's any help?

[Daily-Editor]

http://www.urbandicti...efine.php?term=slaker

[dotty.]

I thought it was an occupation in a dying factory

[NazNomad]

I'd have thought it was someone prodicing slaked lime?

[NazNomad]

... producing too.

[DrFilth]

Lime slaker · Mining, Person who mixes lime and water in rotary slaker or open batch tank to make milk of lime (slaked lime). Also called lime mixer

[DrFilth]

http://www.websters-o...=Slaker&sa=Search#922

[dotty.]

It's an occupation in a dyin factory, mixing the dye with water

[Invictas]

Thanks Dotty,
Given that she lived in built up London a dye works would seem just right.
I have marked you as best answer,but I am not sure what that does?

[dotty.]

It's one more point towards the set of crystal d'arque wiskey tumblers, i already have the decanter

[DrFilth]

they would use a lot of lime in chemical dye works, we did :)

[DrFilth]

is shepherds bush anywhere near here

Greenford is considered to be birthplace of the modern organic chemical industry, as it was at William Perkin's chemical factory in North Greenford, by the Grand Union Canal that the world's first aniline dye was discovered in March 1856. Perkin called his amazing discovery 'mauveine'. Today there is a blue plaque marking the spot in Oldfield Lane North, just south of the Black Horse Public House. The former Rockware glassworks on the canal is commemorated by Rockware Avenue. Greenford formed part of Greenford Urban District from 1894 to 1926 and was then absorbed by the Municipal Borough of Ealing.

[DrFilth]

slake
To slake is to lessen or abate. You can slake your thirst by drinking, or slake someone's fear by reassuring them. To slake can also be to cool or refresh by wetting or moistening, and to slake lime (calcium oxide) is to change it into calcium hydroxide (slaked lime) by combining it with water. Of all these meanings, the oldest is the first one. The word is from Middle English slaken (to abate), from Old English slacean, derived from slaec (sluggish). This root was also the source of Modern English slack, slacken, and slacker. From the idea of slaking thirst by drinking came slaking by adding water to cool or refresh. That usage led to slaking as a name for the chemical alteration of lime by adding water. Unlike slaking to cool, slaking lime causes the release of heat.

[NazNomad]

I'd imagine a lot of the Brick Works in the London area used lime, and I would think slaked lime mortar is prevalent in most old London buildings.

Honestly, I don't think it's dye related.

[Invictas]

Dr Filth,
Greenford is going in the right direction,and only 5 miles from Acton,but I don't think a woman would have gotten involved in chemical workings?
Naz,the reason I think it might be dyeing is that up till the 1st World War Acton was one big laundry(hundreds of them) and so dyeing as well as washing might have come into it.
As I said to Dr Filth,I don't think that women would have gotten into Slaked Lime manufacture.

However,I could be wrong.

[craft1948]

Have you actually looked at the original census......there's been some very funny transcriptions.

[dotty.]

New industry and production processes used terminology from other more established industries, for instance Tenters,

[Invictas]

Thanks craft,
I have the original transcript on my screen as I type,and it is very clearly written(unusually) Slaker.

[DrFilth]

if she was working in a dye factory they would have lime dont forget years ago people had some strange jobs.
can you imagine seeing young ladies humping coal about into wagons ?

http://www.arnw02593.....co.uk/new_page_2.htm

[Invictas]

Thanks Dr Filth,
I don't think there is any definite answer(yet) on this.

[dotty.]

ooo Atherton! (well Chowbent) my great great grandmother was from there.