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On the 1911 Census my Husbands Great Grandmother was recorded as working as a phone and record saleswoman from home on her own account. Has anyone ever come across this occupation and can shed any light on what she would have been selling?

Are there any clues from where she was living?

I tried googling 'telephone sales 1911' and there are replica American 1911 telephones for sale on Ebay.

There are British Phone Books 1880-1984 - on Ancestry.co.uk
search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=1025
This collection contains British phone books published between 1880, the year after the public telephone service was introduced to the UK, and 1984, from the historic phone book collection held by BT Archives. The database currently contains 1780 phone books and provides near full county coverage for England as well as containing substantial records for Scotland, Ireland, and Wales.collection contains British phone books published between 1880, the year ... the U

I went to Burnley Library and had a look through the Barretts directories. In 1902 Great Grandma Annie Simpson was listed at 33 Whalley St as a "Canvasser" and in 1914 the occupiers of 196 Cone Rd were Simpson and Gaut - gramaphone dealers.....James Gaut was married to Great Grandma's sister. So now I know that they sold gramaphones and not telephones.

Finds like yours really makes the past come alive. It's great to think of our ancestors enjoying recorded music in their homes. I wonder what were their favourites?

Best wishes, Ruth