04/11/2026
George L. Nottage,
1820, the first documented tin plate worker in Worcester County, Massachusetts. Originally from Boston like so many others before him. Likely trained and worked at first in a tin shop in Boston before at the age of 28 moving his family to Worcester, MA to start his own shop.
From the advertisements he took out announcing his newly established tin shop he also mentions not just tinware but also like again so many others from the early to mid 19th century working on sheet iron stoves, funnels, bath tubs, and lead pipes.
Before 1830 though George would again move to settle in Providence, Rhode Island and then back to Boston. While little is known of his business beyond his announcement in 1820 in Worcester, MA we might speculate that during this time he not only took on local work but possibly also supplied peddlers and possibly a store. And like almost all tin plate workers he did repairs in the shop, a good source of work when sales were slow.
George would continue to be listed as a tin plate worker or later tinsmith until atleast 1870 at the age or 78. After which time it is believed that he retired with finally passing away in 1883 at the age of 91.
Often is the case of hearing that firstly despite the tall tale of people not living long back then, this is one that proves otherwise and that some worked just as long and traveled as we do today.
