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rjknott
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The most useless census entry
« on: Monday 23 January 06 21:44 UTC (UK) »

Normally when you find a wife's widowed father living with her family, you hope he 1) has a rare name; 2) is born in an obscure village or 3) has an obscure profession. This one from 1871 was particularly helpful:

Name: John Brown
Age: 70s
Profession: Shareholder
Born: England

Would that be the John Brown of England?

(Actually I did eventually find out who he was).
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Fenning,Pudney,Wilson,Walker,Hine,Treeby,Knox,Butler
Jack,Carswell,Gardiner,Alexander,Gibb,Watson,Naismith,Telfer
Gray,Inglis,Gibb,Watson,Taylor,Taylor,Gaff,Henderson
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gazza
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Re: The most useless census entry
« Reply #1 on: Monday 23 January 06 22:52 UTC (UK) »

My vote would go for this one RJ. 1881 census RG11/3856 folio86 page 2
Poor old william Kay from Heap in Lancs.
Occupation given as "Useless".
A bit harsh I thought. I'm sure there was something he could do!
Wink
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PrueM
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Re: The most useless census entry
« Reply #2 on: Monday 23 January 06 23:17 UTC (UK) »

 Cry Cry Cry
Poor William!  He was crippled, a bit sad but typical of those days that they considered him useless.

rj, I sympathise with you.  "England" is not the most helpful birthplace I've ever seen!!

Prue
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Sylviaann
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Isabella Barette


Re: The most useless census entry
« Reply #3 on: Tuesday 24 January 06 18:07 UTC (UK) »

Nearly as bad as unlnown!

I have seen a family with only initials all born unknown

Sylviaann
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Suffolk: Gooch, Crosby, Turner
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Jersey: Barette, de Gruchy
East London: Middleton, Gower, O'Farrell, Smith, Weston
suey
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Re: The most useless census entry
« Reply #4 on: Tuesday 24 January 06 19:28 UTC (UK) »


There's one somewhere which reads something like this..

'five caravans and seven families, moved away last night', blowed if I can remember where I saw it though  Huh
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Headbanger Veron
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Re: The most useless census entry
« Reply #5 on: Wednesday 25 January 06 23:07 UTC (UK) »

This is a pretty good one from 1871:

Head of household: (Mrs Wood) (Head  - Widow) Occupation  - "(out from home)" - no birthplace given and age illegible!!!

The brackets are in the original census! I think she may be an ancestor of mine but who knows?Huh  Roll Eyes

Veron
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D ap D
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Stuck with John Jones in Wales? Join the club!


Re: The most useless census entry
« Reply #6 on: Thursday 26 January 06 09:14 UTC (UK) »

Living in Brook St, Bilston, Staffs in 1851 I found a
John Jones, born in Wales.

Glad he's not one of mine.
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Stuck with:
William Williams of Llanllyfni
John Jones in Llanelli
Evan Evans in Caio
David Davies of Llansanffraid
Evans: Caio/Carms
Jones: CDG, DEN

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"Nor do I think that any other nation than this of Wales, or any other tongue, whatever may hereafter come to pass, shall on the day of the great reckoning before the Most High Judge, answer for this corner of the earth": The Old Man of Pencader to Henry II
Lady Di
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Re: The most useless census entry
« Reply #7 on: Thursday 26 January 06 11:22 UTC (UK) »


I found a William unknown living in a field in cambridge - age 64,  place of birth unknown - forget which census!

I don't think he was mine  Huh Huh
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Boongie Pam
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Re: The most useless census entry
« Reply #8 on: Saturday 11 February 06 17:45 UTC (UK) »

I've got one somewhere I'll get detail when I'm home.  Where it has

name unknown,
sex M
age unknown,
birthplace erm... unknown
occupation "potter"

I'm sure he is one of my missing Lowther's collecting stock!  But how can I tell!!!

Pam
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~~~~~~~~~~~

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North Wales: Robins(on), Hughes, Parry, Jones
Cumberland: Lowther, Young, Steward, Miller
Somerset: Palmer, Cork, Greedy, Clothier

Currently offline due to work reasons- sorry for the silence!
Su
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Re: The most useless census entry
« Reply #9 on: Saturday 11 February 06 17:54 UTC (UK) »

Quote
There's one somewhere which reads something like this..

'five caravans and seven families, moved away last night', blowed if I can remember where I saw it though   

That's got to be my Bowyers Suey....which way did they go Huh??

Su
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astral14
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Re: The most useless census entry
« Reply #10 on: Thursday 16 February 06 11:52 UTC (UK) »


There's one somewhere which reads something like this..

'five caravans and seven families, moved away last night', blowed if I can remember where I saw it though  Huh

Probably part of my husband's tree then - they don't seem to have existed before about 1907!
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