Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a decoy who induces victims to play with card cheats.

1873		Sl. Dict.
1889–90		Barrère & Leland Dict. of Sl., Jargon and Cant I 93/2: Bearer-up (thieves’ slang), a gambling-cheat, more generally called a ‘bonnet,’ [...] a decoy-duck at cards who induces strangers to play with sharpers by persuasion or seeing him win.
1890–1904		Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.

2. (UK Und.) a pimp who robs his prostitute’s client.

1886

W. Newton Secrets of Tramp Life Revealed 21: They go as man and wife [...] He will then force her, if she requires any forcing, out at night to pick up something; it makes no difference to him how she gets it, whether by stealing or by going with other men [..] Now if both these people are out together, he is what they term a ‘bearer-up’ [...] they will both tackle and rob him.

3. a bodyguard, a minder n. (1)

1895

Mirror of Life 18 May 11/4: Bearer Up (excitedly—he must do something for his money): ‘Wot o’ you bin a-sayin’ about my guv’nor, eh?’ Bookie: ‘Yes, wot have you bin o’ sayin’ about me?’ [...] Bearer Up: ‘ [...] I won't have my guv'nor insulted. It's you and me’ We: ‘What, with that stick? Please put that down’ .