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Terms Which Have Disappeared

Veronica T

Familiar Face
Messages
84
Location
Illinois
Could livery band be a misprint for livery hand?

That is what I was thinking but if you check the address, livery hands must have been fairly well paid for labor-type work. Unless the house numbering system was changed over the years and we are looking at the wrong place.

33miltenbergerst_zps43a97987.png


Should be the one with the white door behind the tree.

There was a thing called 'livery lace'. I found an instance of livery lace being referred to as livery band. Instead of doilies or women's blouses, think of shoelaces as a fabric. This would be the making of braid similar to the type on fancy schmantzy military uniforms. It was a cottage industry and could have been carried on at the 33 Miltenberger location.

Liveried servants' uniforms involved livery lace. It was also used in the making of cushions for carriages.

Problems:

1. When did livery lace become distinguished into piping or braid in sewing terminology? Or is piping technically a braid with a band to enable it to be sewn between the two layers of fabric?

2. We have not established a firm link between livery band and livery lace. So. This is conjecture. Or it could be a misprint like Stanley said.

To show you how otaku I am, as a last resort I went to the Rolls Royce 'build your own car' because they come to mind when thinking of bespoke carriage makers. The trim on their cushions is called piping.

Back to the drawing board. Very vexing.
 
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Veronica T

Familiar Face
Messages
84
Location
Illinois
Circus parades.

I miss the annual recreation of a circus parade with all the animals and antique wagons from the circus museum in Baraboo, Wisconsin. People would come from all over the world. The parade was discontinued several years ago.

Confession: I was asked to dress as a harem girl and ride on one of the wagons and wave at the crowds of people. Then I found out it was the Snake Den. With snakes. In the wagon. I was to be the snake charmer.

snakeden_zpsf18303cf.jpg


The glass on that wagon would not have silenced my screams. I declined.

Circus snake charmers:

snakechamers_zps2e773872.jpg


snakelady_zpsb4049ce0.jpg
 
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Stanley Doble

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,808
Location
Cobourg
Veronica - those look like typical working men's terrace houses from the mid 19th century. I can see a livery hand living there, if he was skilled with horses and held a responsible position.
 

Veronica T

Familiar Face
Messages
84
Location
Illinois
Veronica - those look like typical working men's terrace houses from the mid 19th century. I can see a livery hand living there, if he was skilled with horses and held a responsible position.

I heard back from one of two of my old history professors and the woman who is responsible for fabrics and costumes at Old World Wisconsin. Neither of them knew what a livery band is or if there is a connection to livery band and livery lace.

There are two kinds of small letter "b" in the book but I don't think that means anything.

All of the jobs are by job title. Milliner, cooper, barber. Why suddenly are we describing the profession by the item that is produced?

Since as you say that is the type of housing a stable employee could afford, then I agree with you on the misprint.
 
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Veronica T

Familiar Face
Messages
84
Location
Illinois
I keep trying to make sense out of livery band, and keep picturing a marching band on horseback ha ha ha.

There was a mounted circus band in my city's annual circus parade (which is now extinct).

1897 Ringling Bros. Circus:

circusBandringlingbros1897_zps82049862.jpg


Somewhere I saw an American Civil War reenactment mounted brass band that played authentic GAR instruments. The bells of the horns faced to the rear instead of the front as on normal musical instruments so the column of marching soldiers following could hear the music.

A rarity is the bicycle band.

Dutch_Bicycle_Mounted_Band_1937_1_zps005465cc.jpg
 
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