Meaning
A man employed at an inn or stable to tend and feed horses.
Description
Ostlers were responsible for the care of horses belonging to travellers staying at inns or posting houses. They rubbed down tired horses, fed and watered them, cleaned their tack and ensured they were rested and ready for the next stage of the journey. The role was an important one in the age of horse-drawn travel when coaches changed horses regularly on long routes. With the coming of the railways the coaching trade declined sharply and the demand for ostlers fell. The term hostler was also widely used, particularly in northern England.
Also Known As
Hostler, Stable Hand, Groom
Commonly Found In
- Census Returns
- Trade Directories
- Parish Registers
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