Avocation

An avocation is an activity that someone engages in as a hobby outside their main occupation. There are many examples of people whose professions were the ways that they made their livings, but for whom their activities outside their workplaces were their true passions in life.^[1]^[2] Occasionally, as with Lord Baden-Powell and others, people who pursue an avocation are more remembered by history for their avocation than for their professional career.

Many times, a person's regular vocation may lead to an avocation. Many forms of humanitarian campaigning, such as work for organizations like Amnesty International and Greenpeace, may be done by people involved in the law or human rights issues as part of their work.^[3]

Many people involved with youth work pursue this as an avocation.^[4]

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[2]

[3]

[4]

Person	Avocation	Vocation
Adams, Frederick	Luthier	Physician
Allen, Woody	Jazz musician	Filmmaker
Alston, Joseph Cameron	Badminton player	Federal agent
Ambros, August Wilhelm	Musical archaeologist	Austrian civil service

Person	Avocation	Vocation
Baden-Powell, Robert	Scouting	Military officer
Balzary, Michael	Non-profit management	Musician
Barr, William	Bagpiper	Attorney
Benedetto, Anthony	Painter	Singer
Bennett, William	Clarinetist	Physicist
Billroth, Theodor	Pianist	Surgeon
Blades, Rubén	Activist	Musician
Blom, Gertrude	Social anthropologist	Journalist
Borodin, Alexander	Composer	Chemist
Brontë, Charlotte	Author	Governess
Butchart, Harvey	Grand Canyon explorer	Mathematics professor

Person	Avocation	Vocation
Carpenter, Charles	Naturalist	Minister
Chekhov, Anton	Writer, playwright	Physician
Copernicus, Nicolaus	Astronomer	Roman Catholic cleric
Cervantes, Miguel	Writer	Marine
Carter, Allister	Pilot	Snooker player

Person	Avocation	Vocation
d'Abo, Olivia	Singer-songwriter	Actress
Darger, Henry	Author, illustrator	Custodian
Derleth, August	Naturalist	Novelist
Duncan, Watson	Actor	Professor

Person	Avocation	Vocation
Eriugena, Johannes Scotus	Theologian	Courtier
Ekimyan, Alexey	Composer	Senior police official

Avocation

People whose avocations were not their vocations

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D

E

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H

I

J

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L

M

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O

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T

U

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W

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Y

Fictional people whose avocations were not their vocations

See also

References

External links

Wikiwand - on

Person	Avocation	Vocation
Fermat, Pierre de	Mathematician	Lawyer
Foecke, Tim	Whittler, wooden toy maker	Metallurgist
Franco, Veronica	Poet	Courtesan
Ford, Harrison	Carpenter, pilot	Actor
Feynman, Richard^[5]	Drummer	Physicist

Person	Avocation	Vocation
Hass, Rudolph	Botany	Letter carrier
Hewlett, Hilda	Woodwork, metalwork	Aviatrice
Hillary, Sir Edmund	Mountaineer	Beekeeper
Hohlbaum, Robert	Writer	Librarian
Houston, Charles	Mountaineer	Physician

Person	Avocation	Vocation
Ingres, Jean Auguste Dominique	Violinist	Painter
Ives, Charles	Composer	Insurance agent

Person	Avocation	Vocation
Jacques, Brian	Author	Milkman
Jędruch, Jacek	Historian	Nuclear engineer