Plumber
For a colloquial American use, see White House Plumbers; in London, see Worshipful Company of PlumbersA
plumber is a
tradesman who specialises in installing and maintaining systems used for
plumbing,
heating,
drainage, potable (drinking)
water or industrial
process plant piping. (In most jurisdictions the piping for heating systems are installed by steam-fitters, pipefitters or gas-fitters.)
"If I would be a young man again and had to decide how to make my living, I would not try to become a scientist or scholar or teacher. I would rather choose to be a plumber in the hope to find that modest degree of independence still available under present circumstances." -
Albert Einstein,
The Reporter,
18 November,
1954Shortly after making this remark, the Plumbers and Steamfitters
Union,
A.F.L. in
Washington, D.C. voted to grant Einstein an honorary membership. Einstein was reportedly well pleased with this honor.
The word "plumber" comes from the Latin word
plumbum meaning "lead", since pipes in Roman times were made of lead.
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Master Plumber*
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