Census questions

[kugate]

A few questions......

In 1881, 1891 and 1901 was it a legal requirement to be registered on the census? 

If it was then what sort of penalties could an adult expect if they didn't register. 

What reasons would someone have not to register? (other than being on the run or not in the country of course)

[stanmapstone]

Yes it has been a legal requirement from at least from the 1841 Census in which  for refusing to give answers or giving false answers persons were liable to a penalty of not more than five pounds nor less than forty shillings, to be recovered in a summary manner by distress or imprisonment.

Just to say that you did not 'register'. The household schedules were distributed in the week before the census to every house and institution, and the 'head' of the household or institution had to fill it in as instructed on the schedule.
Stan

[stanmapstone]

From the 1841 Census Legislation;
Penalty for refusing Information or giving false Answers. XX. And the better to enable the said Commissioners, Enumerators, Schoolmasters, and other Persons employed in the Execution of this Act to make the said Inquiries and Returns, be it enacted, That the said Enumerators, Schoolmasters, and other Persons shall be authorized to ask all such Questions of the Persons as shall be directed in the Instructions to be issued by the said Commissioners, with the Approval of one of Her Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, which shall be necessary for making preliminary Inquiries and for obtaining the Returns required by this Act; and every Person refusing to answer, or wilfully giving a false Answer to such Questions, or any of them, shall for every such Refusal or wilfully false Answer forfeit a Sum not exceeding Five Pounds nor less than Forty Shillings, at the Discretion of any Justice of the Peace or Magistrate before whom Complaint thereof shall be made.


Stan

[stanmapstone]

From the 1891 Census Legislation;

Penalty for refusing information or giving false answers.
 20. The enumerators and other persons employed in the execution of this Act shall be authorised to ask all such questions as are directed in any instructions to be prepared by or under the direction of the Board which are necessary for obtaining the returns required by this Act; and if any person refuses to answer or wilfully gives a false answer to such questions, or any of them, he shall for each offence be liable to a fine not exceeding five pounds. 
Recovery of penalties.
21. All fines imposed by this Act shall be recovered in manner provided by the Summary Jurisdiction Acts.

Stan

[stanmapstone]

You could have a look at
http://www.british-genealogy.com/resources/census/index.htm#schedule
to see how the censuses were carried out

Stan

[Boongie Pam]

Hi kugate,

A warm welcome to Rootschat.

Just to answer the question why a person may not appear.

I can think of a few reasons.  My lot were travelling salesmen and often disappear - I imagine they are travelling or staying in digs.  It's possible to have name "unknown" appearing on a census, they could be sleeping in the barn for a night?

Or if someone is in one house and travels to another each house may assume the other has included them - I have an example though where this leads to teh same person being on the census twice.

As the schedules are handed out and then transcribed onto the lists we see today by the enumerator they could easily miss a name or muddle up a family if the sheet is badly completed.

Just some ideas 

If you have folk likely to travel eg apprentices, quarrymen, salesmen, seaman, builders, teachers, clerics, amongst many many more.  Then expect the odd one to disappear or turn up somewhere strange with possibly wrong details.

It's a great puzzle 

Pam
 

[Mean_genie]

In practice, there were were very few prosecutions, because it involved time and expense, and the level of compliance was, on the whole, very good. In 1861, for example, there were no prosecutions by the Registrar General, although there may have been some by local registrars. The (very quotable)RG at that time, George Graham, justified his decision:

'I treat these cases of obstinacy as more or less connected with insanity; and being isolated cases not very frequently met with, I do not think it necessary to prosecute the recusants'

Mean_genie

[stanmapstone]

To bring it more up to date, nearly 90 people were prosecuted after the 1961 census, facing fines of up to £50. Regarding the 1971 census the Registrar General said that the threat of prosecution was not an empty one, and that it was compulsory to fill in the form.

Stan

[kugate]

Thank you all ever so much for your replies.

The reason I ask is that I have a lady, probably born somewhere between 1881 and 1884 but I can't find her on any census.  I wouldn't be surprised if she wasn't on the 1881 census but I would have expected to see her on the 1891 and 1901.

I also can't find her on any electoral rolls, up until when she died in 1958 but I can find her name in the local trade directories, I know where she lived however her business isn't listed.  I believe that she probably ran a B&B.

Her parentage is a bit of a mystery but I'll keep searching.

John