EVPs and Ghostly Occupations, What’s a Tipstaff?

Whenever researching persons from the past it is crucial that you not misinterpret what the ghost did for a living. Misinterpretation is an easy ditch to fall into. Take for instance the case below that I recently helped out with:

A ghost-hunting group from California came across a rather active ghost in their investigation and the group could not make sense of some EVPs they had recorded in regard to the ghost. It was proven the ghost/man, born in Kentucky in1865 and died in California in 1942, began his career as a coal miner… an occupation that was typical for his era. Later in life, in 1920 he had moved to Michigan and worked as a line inspector at an automobile manufacturer. A Line Inspector in 1920 was a position of responsibility, what today would be called a Quality Control Manager. Jump to 1930 and this same man is working at the Port of New York as a Waiter. Okay, so he was now working in a restaurant at the very busy Port of New York, right?

Wrong. This man did not ever work in a restaurant or in any such job as a food server or food handler. The ghost hunters made the very easy, and very crucial mistake, in that they used their present-day frame of reference to interpret the ghost’s occupation. Simply stated, the ghost hunters did not know better and they took for granted that they understood the meaning of "Waiter."

In 1930, at the Port of New York, and every other port of arrival and departure in North Amercia and most of Europe, a "Waiter" was a "Customs Agent." After I informed the ghost hunters, that once again, the man had held a position of responsibility, and pointed them toward sources for which they could quickly learn more about being a Customs Agent in 1930, it made a huge difference in understanding the EVPs the ghost-hunting group had recorded. It was a eureka moment… because now, knowing that the man’s last profession was that of a Custom’s Agent at the very busy Port of New York, the phrases and words caught on the recorder made sense.

Problem: It is too easy to interpret what you hear or catch on an EVP when using your present-day frame of reference. Add to this that you may not know you are misinterpreting what you hear, and thus rendering your investigation, evidence, and conclusion as invalid.

Solution: I tackle the problem of misinterpretations of language and frame of reference and its reflection on lifestyles in my book: Ghost Hunters Research Guide to Free Internet Sources. I address issues such as the change in occupational names and titles over eras, decades and centuries. I also provide dozens of Free Internet Sources that help in understanding changes in vocabulary, eponyms and slang from colonial times to present-day.

However, for now, here’s a list of a few samples of Occupations that have changed in their titles and/or meaning.

Able Seaman: A seaman who reached a standard of skill above that of Ordinary Seaman. This is a specific classification, not an opinion about a person’s ability.

Aeronaut: A balloonist or a trapeze artist in the circus or music halls.

Alderman: Senior councilor, one position down from Mayor in the local council.

All Spice: Grocer. Easily misunderstood to be a flavor or ingredient used in baking and cooking: allspice.

Apothecary (Apotheecary): Prepared medicines and drugs; pharmacist.

Bal Maiden: Female mine worker who worked on the surface; Pit Brow Lass.

Barker: Hide/leather tanner.

Batman: An officer's servant in the army.

Baxter: Baker

Blindsman: A person employed by the Post Office to deal with incorrectly addressed letters and parcels. Nothing to do in regard to a person who cannot see.

Bluffer: An innkeeper or landlord of a pub.

Carnifex: A meat Butcher.

Court Factor: A person who bought and sold courts (small carts, as in hand carts, donkey carts and so on).

Faker: Photographic assistant who added color to photographs by hand before color film was available. From the initial common use of cameras in the early 1800s through to mid-1900s, this was a popular position for a woman or a young man who was learning the trade.

Hooker: A reaper, or a worker in textile industry who operated a machine that laid fabric flat in uniform folds. And you might have thought it was a prostitute?

Jouster: A fish monger, usually a female hawker of fish, traveling from town to town.

Marshall: A horse doctor or shoesmith (as in horse shoes). Alternative definition, a horse servant or groom. Note, in an EVP, chances are you would think of a law-enforcement officer.

Mayer: A physician. Note, if you heard this in an EVP, chances are you would interpret it as a ‘mayor."

Tipstaff: A policeman or court official.

Tirewoman: A milliner, a hairdresser, or a female dresser, often in the theatre.

Vulcan: Blacksmith (Hmm… and perhaps you were thinking, Trekkie?)

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