Dental mechanic

[Susan48]

In 1891 age 16, still living at home in Colchester with his parents, James Eade gave his occupation as Dental Assistant. By 1901 he had moved to Bristol where he was a Dental Mechanic. In 1911 he was married, still in Bristol, and still in the same occupation. On the transcription page for 1911 (where his name has been wrongly transcribed as Eades) Findmypast have added a note saying that 31 people in the same Bristol area were also Dental Mechanics. By clicking on a link the whole list is displayed.

I think a dental mechanic made false teeth and other dental appliances, and I wondered if there was a factory in Bristol where these were made. Does anyone know?

 

[Margery]

Susan, I don't know the answer to your question but I have a great uncle whose occupation was a dental mechanic and on a later census he was described as a dental surgeon! I wonder what training he received?

 

[Susan48]

Thank you for that information, Margery. I have just googled to see if there was/is a dental hospital in Bristol, and found an interesting and informative article here http://www.bristoldentalalumni.co.uk/history/. In the late 1800s there were lecturers in both Dental Mechanics and Dental Surgery at University College, Bristol, but it seems - rather alarmingly - that no formal qualifications were required until after 1921. In 1939 James Eade still gave his occupation as Dental Mechanic so may well never have qualified.

 

[Margery]

Susan, I have just looked at my notes on great uncle Walter, born 1867, Marylebone, London. In 1891 he was described as a Dentist's assistant, 1901 as a Dental surgical mechanic, 1911 occupation: Dentistry. The British Telephone books to 1945 lists Walter as a Dentist at 512 Fulham Palace Road, SW6. Looks as though he served an apprenticeship under another dentist then set up his own practice.