The Ryley/Riley Sisters: Milk Sellers

It appears that the women in Ezra Riley's family were Milk Sellers and/or Milk Dealers in Manchester.  You may not know this, we we are uncertain as to the parentage of Ezra.  A trade directory lists a Milk Seller named Ann Riley living at 7 George Leigh Street and during the 1841 Census there is an Ann Ryley living at this address but her occupation is listed as Shopkeeper.  If I had to guess, I think Ann was probably Ezra's mother.


A milk-dealer would probably buy the milk wholesale, then sell it direct to the consumer, or to shopkeepers.  Ann may have very well sold milk from their home since the census lists her as a shopkeeper.  There were other women in the household who may have also sold milk directly to the consumers.

Until the advent of railways, cows were kept in the city.  It was very common to find people having caught TB from drinking raw milk.

Focus on 1851 Census

Since we've been talking about Amelia Harris of late, I thought we'd show you the actual copy of the 1851 census:

Harris Thomas 38 Head Snuffer Maker Birmingham, -
Harris Ann 39 Wife         Burnisher Birmingham, -
Harris Amelia 15 Daughter         Burnisher Birmingham, -
Harris Emma  6 Daughter         - Birmingham, -
Harris Eliza          1 Daughter -         Birmingham, -
Gill         Joseph  61 Widower         Snuffer Maker Wolverhampton,




I don't know if the widower, Joseph Gill was a boarder or Ann Harris' father.  It appears that all may have been involved in a cottage industry, working at home at their trade.  A burnisher is someone who polishes metal.  Birmingham at that time had a large brass industry.  I couldn't find any information if a snuffer maker was a work at home occupation or a factory type job.  

Thomas and Ann Harris had one more child, a son, in 1853.