Worm Destroyer - what kind of job was that!

Just found this transcription from Slaters 1846 Directory of Sheffield

Pennington, Joseph (, worm destroyer).

Residing at 39 Campo Lane, Sheffield in 1846.

Recorded in: Slaters 1846 Directory, Sheffield.

What on earth was a 'worm destroyer'

Well, this is a new one on me, but the Sheffield directory for 1852 might contain a clue - see http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/Misc/Transcriptions/WRY/Sheffield1852AlphaC-F.html At 25 Bank Street lived Mrs Jane Eyre (now that's a name to conjure with) who was a "herbalist and worm destroyer". So maybe a worm destroyer practised a sort of folk medicine to remove tapeworms etc.? I remember my grandma mentioning "worm syrup" and in fact it seems you can still buy it - see: http://www.tiscali.co.uk/lifestyle/healthfitness/health_advice/netdoctor/archive/100000688.html

Try worm destroyer on google and look down the list of websites for the following¬

Pharmaceutical Journal - Google Books Result

It gives a good description of what a worm destroyer did.

Happy days!

it's a lot better than being a Wonkey scooper:rolleyes:

below is a abc list of old occupations

Here

Hi.

I remember seeing a tape worm pickled in a jar at the herbalists in the old rag and tag market...they had it on the counter.

Tuppie

I remember seeing a tape worm pickled in a jar at the herbalists in the old rag and tag market...they had it on the counter.

How much did they want for it?

How much did they want for it?

How long's a piece of string

The Tapeworm in the Rag & Tag Market belonged to the ' Herbal Doctor' who sold his bottles of Dr Armoid's Cure all Mixture which among other things got rid of Tapeworms.

The Tapeworm in the bottle was one of his props which he would show off declaring it was 22 yards long, as long as a cricket pitch.

Happy Days!