Lucky Sweepess: 'I left my job to become one of the only female chimney sweeps - I do it the ‘Mary Poppins way’

She had been looking for an alternative job when her friend Katie Sweep, who cleans chimneys and fireplaces in North Yorkshire, advertised a job.

She said: “I went and started working for Katie. She was brilliant. Katie was lovely and trained me.”

Ms Sherwood worked for Katie Sweep for five years before setting up her own business – the Lucky Sweepess, based in the York area.

Like many manual professions, most chimney sweeps have traditionally been male but despite the job being an unusual one among women, Ms Sherwood said she knows of at least three female chimney sweeps in York.

“People used to be shocked, they used to think the trade didn’t exist any more and they didn’t expect a woman to be doing it,” she said.

“Nowadays people are just surprised but intrigued. I like the reaction I get, it’s one of the best bits of the job.”

In her early days she swept the chimneys of stately homes such as Castle Howard, but now she is busy with homes of all sizes across North Yorkshire. She said: “Chimney sweeping has become increasingly popular, with more people having log burning fires and chimneys that need cleaning.”

According to Ms Sherwood chimney sweeping is also a sought after trade due to many insurance companies requiring households to have their chimneys swept regularly. She said: “People should have it done at least twice a year. People think if they’ve got their chimney lined they don’t need it sweeping but they do they’ve got to look after that lining. That lining will not last if you don’t get it swept.”

The role of the chimney sweep goes back to the 16th century in England. The profession has for a long time been associated with luck. Legend has it that centuries ago a chimney sweep would walk the streets with a pig, symbolising good fortune; it is also said to be lucky for a bridegroom to shake a chimney sweep’s hand and for the bride to have a kiss from the sweep on their wedding day.

“I go to people’s weddings and I am supposed to be the first person a couple sees after getting married and exiting the venue, I wish them luck, shake the groom’s hand and put a little bit of soot on the bride’s face. I also give them a sealed jar of soot to signify a long happy marriage,” Ms Sherwood said.

The 1964 film Mary Poppins helped to elevate the profession as Dick Van Dyke played a loveable chimney sweep called Bert.

Ms Sherwood added: “I do it the same way as the Mary Poppins film. I’ve got the same brushes although they are now plastic instead of bamboo.”

She is a certified member of National Association of Chimney Sweeping (NACS) and has fully embraced her supercalifragilisticexpialidocious profession.

She said: “I’ve even found myself singing Chim Chimney and I have a mug with ‘sooty’ written on it.”