What is a rag and pot man?
A rag and pot man was a rag gatherer who exchanged pots for
rags, bones, old glass etc. In the morning the rag gatherer would
collect earthenware pots and pans from the rag merchant. With these
he would walk round - often as much as twenty miles - calling at
likely houses to exchange pots for rags etc. At the end of the day
he returned to the rag merchant's and was paid a few pence if the
rags he had collected were worth more than the pots he had given
out. In 1849 1/6d (7.5p) was regarded as a very good return for a
day's work.
See page 5 of "The Yorkshire Textile Districts in 1849", Angus
Bethune Reach, Edited by Chris Aspin, Helmshore, 1974 for a
detailed account