ashman

ashman (plural ashmen)

1. (obsolete) One employed to collect ash.
   • 1868, Annual report of the Metropolitan Board of Health of the State of New York:

     Theoretically, occupants are expected to bring out their boxes and pans at the time the ashman's bell gives notice that his cart is passing through the street.

   • 1891, An Examination of the Subject of Street Cleaning in the City of New York:

     Through the kindness of Mrs. Francis P. Kinnicutt, Mrs. Richard Irvin and other ladies, who have made a careful canvas of the district between 8th and 80th streets in the center of the city, we learn that not less than 2852 families in that district employ private ashmen at an average expense of $2 per month or a total of $68,448 per year.

   • 1895, Mary Kyle Dallas, “Cupid in the Kitchen”, in Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineer's Monthly Journal, page 669:

     "Oh!" said Jack to himself. "The young lady of the house doing amateur kitchen housework. I might have known it. And she thinks me the ashman," and he sighed.

• Hamans, Mahans, shaman