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Author Topic: Children living alone!!  (Read 339 times)
Stewart R
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Children living alone!!
« on: Saturday 05 May 07 18:07 BST (UK) »
Whilst search through the 1841 census for Macclesfield I came across an entry showing two children living on their own together. The entry in question shows William Read age 15 and Elizabeth Read age 15 living in Fountain Street. Surely they were not married so I would conclude that they are brother and sister. But why are they alone? Does any one know if there was an orphanage or other refuge on this street around this time. Or am I missing something besides a few marbles? Cheesy

Stewart
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Reid, Wolfendale, Hawkin, Tapp
Plymouth, Macclesfield, Liverpool.
avm228
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Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Re: Children living alone!!
« Reply #1 on: Saturday 05 May 07 18:13 BST (UK) »
Hello Stewart

Bear in mind that in the 1841 census ages for over 15s were rounded down to the nearest 5 years, so that a person recorded as 15 might have been as old as 19.

The most likely explanation is that these two were siblings whose parents were either working away at the time of the census (e.g. in residential domestic or agricultural service) or had died.  But of course with the uncertainty about their true ages one cannot rule out the possibility that they were a young married couple.

Do you know more about the family or did you come across them by chance?


Anna
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Ayr: Barnes, Wylie
Caithness: MacGregor
Essex: Eldred (Pebmarsh)
Gloucs: Timbrell (Winchcomb)
Hants: Stares (Wickham)
Lincs: Maw, Jackson (Epworth, Belton)
London: Pierce
Suffolk: Markham (Framlingham)
Surrey: Gosling (Richmond)
Wilts: Matthews, Tarrant (Calne, Preshute)
Worcs: Milward (Redditch)
Yorks: Beaumont, Crook, Moore, Styring (Huddersfield); Middleton (Church Fenton); Exley, Gelder (High Hoyland); Barnes, Birchinall (Sheffield); Kenyon, Wood (Cumberworth/Denby Dale)
Gadget
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Three Wise Buoys, Wester Ross


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Re: Children living alone!!
« Reply #2 on: Saturday 05 May 07 18:14 BST (UK) »
Hi Stewart.

The 1841 census rounded those aged over 15 into 5 year age bands. If the age was given as 15, they were really between 15 and 19.

This wasn't all that uncommon. My 3 x great grandmother and her second husband had left their much younger children alone. Their stepbrother (my 2x) and wife were living next door.

Regards

Gadget

Think Anna and I posted at same time. Nice that we agree  Smiley
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Website: www.ancestral-tales.co.uk



My main Surname interests are on the Surname Interests Table  http://surname.rootschat.com/ and my website (above)

Census &  BMD information Crown Copyright www.nationalarchives.gov.uk and www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk


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avm228
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Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Re: Children living alone!!
« Reply #3 on: Saturday 05 May 07 18:17 BST (UK) »
Quote from: Gadget on Saturday 05 May 07 18:14 BST (UK)

Think Anna and I posted at same time. Nice that we agree  Smiley

Isn't it just Wink
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Ayr: Barnes, Wylie
Caithness: MacGregor
Essex: Eldred (Pebmarsh)
Gloucs: Timbrell (Winchcomb)
Hants: Stares (Wickham)
Lincs: Maw, Jackson (Epworth, Belton)
London: Pierce
Suffolk: Markham (Framlingham)
Surrey: Gosling (Richmond)
Wilts: Matthews, Tarrant (Calne, Preshute)
Worcs: Milward (Redditch)
Yorks: Beaumont, Crook, Moore, Styring (Huddersfield); Middleton (Church Fenton); Exley, Gelder (High Hoyland); Barnes, Birchinall (Sheffield); Kenyon, Wood (Cumberworth/Denby Dale)
yonderpeasant
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be with you in a minute
Re: Children living alone!!
« Reply #4 on: Saturday 05 May 07 18:24 BST (UK) »
they are 26 and 27 on the 1851 and do appear to be married.
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This information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Ridgway.  
 Salop.Lancs.Stoke on Trent.
Colclough.Ackley.Adams.Harris.James
 Longton  Stoke on trent Staffs.
Scholes.Collinge
 Middleton Lancs.
Gogerty.Deavonporte
Salop.
redspookhunter
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Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk


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Re: Children living alone!!
« Reply #5 on: Saturday 05 May 07 18:26 BST (UK) »
Hhhhmmm
i have just found a marriage of a william read t a elizabeth brooks
in macclesfield in march 1841

Surname  First name(s)    District  Vol  Page  

~~~~~~~~
Marriages Mar 1841   (>99%)
~~~~~~~~

Barlow  Ann    Macclesfield  19 81  
Brooks  Elizabeth     Macclesfield  19 81  
Brownsett  Joseph     Macclesfield  19 81  
BURGESS  Ellen     Macclesfield  19 81  
HALL  Richard     Macclesfield  19 81  
READ  William     Macclesfield  19 81  
SMITH  Martha     Macclesfield  19 81  
Whitehurst  James     Macclesfield  19 81  

Grin
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WADLEY bedminster glos
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STAFFORD wexford ireland
Gadget
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Three Wise Buoys, Wester Ross


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Re: Children living alone!!
« Reply #6 on: Saturday 05 May 07 19:07 BST (UK) »
Quote from: yonderpeasant on Saturday 05 May 07 18:24 BST (UK)
they are 26 and 27 on the 1851 and do appear to be married.

Think you'd better change the subject line to Husband and Wife living together! Shock horror  Shocked Shocked Shocked

Gadget  Smiley
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Website: www.ancestral-tales.co.uk



My main Surname interests are on the Surname Interests Table  http://surname.rootschat.com/ and my website (above)

Census &  BMD information Crown Copyright www.nationalarchives.gov.uk and www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk


Please scan photos for restorations at 300dpi or above and with no jpg compression
Stewart R
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Re: Children living alone!!
« Reply #7 on: Saturday 05 May 07 19:25 BST (UK) »
Well that seems to have cleared up my little query pretty quickly. I had forgotten about the 41 census rounding down ages.  Roll EyesEmbarrassed

Thankyou one and all

Stewart.
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Reid, Wolfendale, Hawkin, Tapp
Plymouth, Macclesfield, Liverpool.
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