Medieval Occupations - Glassblower, Grain Merchant, Gravedigger
Medieval Occupations
(Jobs in the Medieval Age)


GLASSBLOWER

From what has been recorded the occupation of the Glassblower was a specialy trade that required years of training.
Glass was made my heating sand and water at extremely high temperatures and melting it into a near liquid. As this substance dried, tubes of metal and glass were inserted at which the crafter would use his breath to blow through them and shape the flexible material.
Guilds were common sources of entry for this profession and as such a highly skilled craft, Glassblowers often earned high wages.
GRAIN MERCHANT

Grain Merchants needed to be wise in mathematics and negotiations. To trade goods and services a Grain Merchant or any merchant at all needed to build a list of customers. And once established he needed to maintain quality and timely service to keep them happy.
Most travelling merchants either sold grain, wheat, barley, oats, hops or other commodities that could benefit a town or community. There was much competition in this trade and a ruthless manner was often held between rival merchants. Once the customer base was established it was important to maintain a decent business ethic. Merchants often grew to be very wealthy and retired with positions of title and rank.
GRAVEDIGGER

Unfortunately the Gravedigger could stand to make a profitable living during the Medieval Ages. As epidemics, disease and war were rampant the Gravedigger was never short on business.
During the Black Plague it was recorded that a Gravedigger named Marshal de Clare reaped such a profit that he was able to afford estates, manors, castles, land and livestock. Marshal de Clare later became a local lord, hired a retinue of knights and became a lesser ruling house in Southern England.
No special skills were required for the profession but it did call for a careful handling of the tools.

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