[Sca-cooks] Interesting period words

[Elaine Koogler]

Huette von Ahrens wrote:

>Someone on the SCA-Bakers list asked about what
>a female baker would be called.  In looking this
>up in the OED, I found the word to be "Baxter"
>It is also spelled bæcestre, bæcistre,
>bæcystre, bakestre, bakestir, bacstare, baxstere,
>backstare, backster, baxster, bakster.  The
>earliest entry for the female baker is from 1390.
> The OED lists four instances of this meaning up 
>to 1590, when the word changed to bakestress. 
>However, there are a few even earlier references
>to this word, but with no discernable reference 
>to any sex.  The first of these comes from 1000
>until 1550, when baxter was applied to a male
>baker.
>
>And, yes, for those wondering, brewster is a
>female brewer.  Various spellings from 1308
>through 1820. Although this too could mean a male
>brewer from 1377 through 1550.
>
>The things you learn from a dictionary ...
>
>Huette
>  
>
So then folks with the surnames Baxter or Brewster (like the lovely, 
somewhat demented sisters in Arsenic and Old Lace) might well be 
descended from femal bakers or brewers?  Cool!!!

Kiri