Boot clicker [clecker?]

I have come across a woman in the 1851 census whose husband is a boot and
shoe maker, and her occupation is listed as 'boot clecker'. I've searched the web for
and decided it's more likely to be 'clicker'. This seems usually to refer
to someone working a factory machine putting in the lace holes (later 19th
century). Presumably she worked at home with her husband - would this
definition fit these circumstances?

Eve McLaughlin...

Boot clicking is a very common occupation, though most often a male one,
since the clicking, or cutting out leather pieces to form the component
parts of the shoe or boot, involved fairly heavy pressure on the cutting
edges, and 'arms like iron bands'. On the whole, the men were the
clickers and the women were boot closers, doing the stitching together
of the sections.
If this family happens to be involved in the making of children's
shoes, with soft kid sections, these would obviously have been easier to
chop, and dressmaking techniques would be involved. This would also fit
being an upholsteress later.

I've come across one reference on a Rootsweb forum that says it was someone
who cut out the leather. This seems to fit better, but I'm a bit dubious as
the only other reference to this definition I've found is on Rodney Hall's
site (no denigration meant here! It's just a single reference isn't
necessarily as strong as several!).
If it's any help, the woman was later described as an upholstress. (might
fit with the leather cutting idea?)

MB...

There is one of the Shire Books series on shoemaking, I haven't seen
that one but they are usually very good.

Shoemaking

June Swann Ł3.50

978 0 85263 778 4 (Album 155) 32 pp, 50 ills.

Eve McLaughlin...

This disagrees with the evidence of people who were clickers. Hand
cutting was largely taken over by the small machine, and then larger
machines.They were still called clickers, since that is what they did.

Martin Briscoe (2)...

The OED also has it as a tout to stands at the door of the shoeshop
trying to get customers in, there are references to this usage from
1690.

Graham P Davis...

And this lunchtime I heard that it was also used in the East End of London
to denote a juvenile bookies runner. This derived from the fashion for kids
to have bits of card on their bikes which would make clicking noises as the
spokes caught the card. The lads would collect the bets and then cycle to
the bookies who would hear the "clicker" as he arrived on his bike.

chris_doran...

Lloyd's Encyclopaedic Dictionary of 1895 has:-

1) Ord Lang: A tout; one who stood at the door to invite passers by to
enter the shop.

2) Boot-making: One who cuts out the leather in the proper sizes and
shapes for the various parts of the boot for which they are intended.

3) Printing: A compositor at the had of a companionship*, who has
charge of a work or works while being put in type. A part of his duty
is to distribute the copy amongst the other compositors.

* Companionship: A number of compositors engaged in setting up any
particular work, under the management of a clicker.

Richard van Schaik...

Being regarded as or being named as ......... a huge difference in feeling.

Cheers,
Richard