reddsmann.
/ˈrɛdzmən/, U.S. /ˈrɛdzmən/, Scottish English /ˈrɛdzmən/ Scottish. Mining (now chiefly historical).
A person employed to clear away debris or rubbish, maintain roadways, etc., in the workings of a mine.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > worker > workers according to type of work > manual or industrial worker > miner > [noun] > coal-miner > who clears debris
reddsman1672
waler1825
coal picker1905
gummer1921
1672 Sheriffhall Coal Acct. Bks. 6 Apr. Four redsmen ilke man five darge.
1681 Sheriffhall Coal Acct. Bks. 30 July For a meell to the redsmen to break stone.
1808 in J. Jamieson Etymol. Dict. Sc. Lang. Redsman, one who clears away rubbish; a term particularly applied to those who are thus employed in coal-pits.
1841 Prize-ess. & Trans. Highland & Agric. Soc. Scotl. 13 326 The redsmen who prepare the roads for waggons and clear away the rubbish before the well-faces.
1887 P. McNeill Blawearie 59 Down came another cage, out of which stepped the manager accompanied by the chief oncost or reddsman.
1961 Business Hist. June 81 The redsmen would be employed in deepening the main and stair shafts, driving levels and removing obstructions.
1991 G. Marshall in P. Hamilton Max Weber (1993) II. 213 At the pinnacle of this hierarchy of authority was the grieve, who supervised the oursman and redsman.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2009; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1672