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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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MUGGER, n. An itinerant tinker, orig. one who sold earthenware mugs and other similar vessels (Sc. 1817 Blackwood's Mag. (May) 157; s.Sc. 1825 Jam.; Bnff., em.Sc.(b), s.Sc. 1963), but the word has now a more general application. Also used attrib. Phr. a mugger's cup, a cup of tea made by pouring boiling water on the tea-leaves in the cup (Rxb. 1963), from the practice of tinkers.Sc. 1829 Scott O. Mortality Intro.:
The ware of Cooper Climent was rejected in horror, much to the benefit of his rivals the muggers, who dealt in earthenware. The man of cutty-spoon and ladle saw his trade interrupted.e.Lth. 1844 J. Miller Lamp Lth. (1900) 220:
It will be seen that James IV. was not more successful in curbing the thieves of Eskdale than the new superintendent was in banishing the gipsies and muggers from the county.Rxb. 1848 R. Davidson Leaves 215:
The gipsies, or muggers, whose great howff has for several generations been Kirk-Yetholm.Bwk. 1893 Proc. Bwk. Nat. Club 241:
In the seventeenth century a fair was held annually at Netherwitton from the 8th to the 13th of August, when the squire had to entertain all the "muggers."Abd. 1896 Banffshire Jnl. (22 Dec.) 2:
The tinker . . . had a handicraft such as tinplate worker, basket maker, horner or mugger.Rxb. 1920 Kelso Chron. (23 July) 2:
There was a very large gathering of the tented "mugger" tribe at St Boswells Fair on Monday. The chief occupation of the men folk seemed to be the buying and selling and swopping of horses and harness, and careering about on every possible road on the Green, running by the steed, with halter in hand, or charioteering furiously through the crowds.Bwk. 1947 W. L. Ferguson Makar's Medley 60:
She cleared the lum shelf at yae loup O' cheeny dugs and mugger ware.Edb. 1958 Ed. Evening News (12 Feb.):
An untidy house is described as being like a "mugger's den."