potmann.

1589 T. Nashe Anat. Absurditie sig. Ciii^v A man..if lasciuious, good in some English deuise of verse, to conclude, a passing potman, a passing Poet.

1652 J. Hilton Catch that Catch Can 33 Call for the Ale stand or fall, we'le drink a health to the Fatman, I would it were in Sack, though mony we lack, fill us to'ther Potman.

1685 A. Wood Life & Times (1894) III. 171 The pot men and juniors carry all before them.

1786 Poll for M.P. for City of Norwich 3 Mileham Benjamin, Potman.

1798 J. Baillie Election i. i. 3 Patron! pot-man an' you will. As long as he holds the brown jug to their heads, they'll run after him an' he were the devil.

1860 C. Dickens Uncommerc. Traveller in All Year Round 21 July 349/1 The potmen thrust the last brawling drunkards into the street.

1898 G. B. Shaw You never can Tell ii. 255 He's at the Bar... A potman, eh?.. No, sir: the other bar.

1925 D. Garnett Sailor's Return 22 The next morning the potman came to the inn.

1948 ‘J. Tey’ Franchise Affair iv. 40 Yes. Arthur Wallis, the potman at The White Hart.

1996 Scotl. on Sunday (Nexis) 20 Oct. (Spectrum section) 7 Jack Duckworth, philanderer, pigeon fancier, luckless punter and potman turned landlord of the Rovers.

1732 R. Sanderson Fœdera, Conventiones, Literæ, et Acta Publica XIX. 194 The sturdy Rogues and Vagabondes, wandring under the several Names of Soldiers, Marriners, Glassmen, Potmen, Pedlers, Petty-chapman, Connyskynmen, Tinckers, or any other pretences whatsoever.

1889 E. Peacock Gloss. Words Manley & Corringham, Lincs. (ed. 2) 416 Pot-man, a dealer in earthenware.

1952 T. Armstrong Adam Brunskill vii. 233 The more filthied wool..was put aside to await the annual call of the potmen, with whom his father enjoyed nothing better than to dicker.

1874 J. A. Phillips Elem. Metall. 581 In order to desilverise by the aid of this arrangement, the potman sinks the ladle sideways to the bottom of the kettle.

1921 Dict. Occup. Terms (1927) §143 Pot man (alkali);..charges shallow iron pans with salt and sulphuric acid, attends to firing, and supervises process until product is ready for salt cake furnace.

1932 Amer. Speech 7 269 Pot man, the man who tends the boilers in which steam is generated for drilling.

1995 Chem. in Brit. Sept. 714/1 The quickening demand for acids, alkalis, bleach, glass and soap brought into being several new trades such as bleach packer, caustic finisher and potman.