What might 'pitt Zink' in 1873 South Australian diary mean? Below is the entry for 23 May 1873 in the diary of my 3rd great grandfather Thomas Hitchcox which was written at Fullarton, South Australia. Thomas had emigrated from Staffordshire, England in 1854 (at age 57) where he had been a school master (at least 1821-1827), maltster and farmer. ![enter image description here]( Most of it is very easy to read but there are two words that I am uncertain of the spelling/meaning. Weather showery Wark finished the Shed and ???? ???? on the old Stable and hung Froggatts' new Gate The words replaced by question marks above seem to be `pitt Zink` but if that is their spelling then what is their meaning? I suspect it may be something to do with putting zinc on a roof, as some sort of early galvanized iron, but would like to be more certain.

The spelling of Zink for Zinc has been followed up on at the English Language & Usage Stack Exchange as Was Zink ever valid spelling for Zinc? where the earliest known spelling of Zinc is from 1813.

With Thomas (born 1797) presumably going to school before that, and becoming a school master less than 10 years after 1813 (certainly by 1821, and finishing in or soon after 1827) it seems unsurprising that he continued spelling it Zink which was probably what he was taught and what he taught.