This page outlines some of the trades and professions followed by Tittertons
Early trades were country based, such as John Titterton d.1699, a Joiner from Grindon. In his will he left two trees in John Johnson's wood. This must have been a source for his raw material. Others were a spin off from farming activities. Joshua, a son from Apesfrod Farm, Leek, was living at Reddish near Stockport in 1881. He was a cowkeeper but his sons living with him, were butchers. This was the start of a butchery which became a butcher's chain still to be found in the Stockport area. Likewise the Titterton Cheesemakers of Bermondsy 1750 - 1850 came from farmers at Wirksworth Derbyshire.
Ashbourne was the closest town to Alstonfield and several trades were run by Tittertons from there by members of one large family. William Titterton, junior had a shoeshop and died as a relatively young man (?30s). With his will, 1642, is an inventory which includes the contents of his shop and workshop. Shoe sizes were well established even then. There one can see that shoe sizes for adults were already standard and how many pairs of each he had in stock. His brothers and nephews (he had no children) between them carried on his business and also provided the town and surrounding countryside with a draper, glover and Currier.
The Tarratt family seemed to operate between Cheadle and Burton-on-Trent before moving onto Birmingham. There seems to be some connection with the Worthington brewers of Burton and the link might be through the Tarratt family. While one brother was in Burton the other set up as a Cooper at Cheadle. Eventually the family was drawn to Birmingham where they became varnish makers. Although the second John Tarratt Titterton must have prospered in the Industrial Revolution, one wonders if it contributed to his early death at the age of 37 and that of his son William aged 29.. Another Birmingham family made safes as a Titterton name plate from one has survived (Illustration below).
Those who moved to London were involved in a variety of businesses. Earliest there were two Goldsmiths in the late 1600s. A family of coachmakers prospered well from the late 1700s until the advent of the steam train in the 1840s. Other 19th century London traders include brush makers, sign writers and painters, and legal stationers.
In the 20th century the Titterton family cover the full spectrum of trades and professions. The two most famous 'sons' have been Frank Titterton, the operatic singer and Sir Ernest Titterton the nuclear physist. Frank was the son of a Birmingham industrialist (probably the safe maker). Sir Ernest was a member of the Tamworth family but emigrated to Australia when the A bomb tests were being carried out.
Part of the inventory attached to the will of William Titterton, Shoemaker, of Ashbourne who died in 1642, shows that shoe sizes were standards even then.
2 paire of shoes of the twelves
three paire of the elevens
five paire of the tenns
vj paire of the nynes
vj paire of the eights
vj paire of the sevens
vj paire of the sixes
vj paire of the fives
4 paire of the fures
4 paire of the threes
4 paire of the twoes
5 paire of the ones
12 paire of childrens shoes
6 paire of boots
one p[ar]cel of dressed lether
viij dressed calve skins
all offall dressed lether
ij dozen & ij paire of lastes & j paire of boote trees
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