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Census Lookups General Lookups => Census and Resource Discussion => Topic started by: vcmt2008 on Monday 11 January 10 17:51 GMT (UK)
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I'm looking at a page of the 1841 Census, and it appears that there are a lot of younger people (age 15-25) that have occupations listed F.S. (for females) and M. S. (for males).
I'm sure the answer is obvious, but could someone please enlighten me?
Thanks,
Holly
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Female servant
Male servant ;D
Rosie
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Thanks!
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Thats ok - I used to think it was farm servant, probably cos all mine were ag labs
Rosie
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These are the official abbreviations used in the censuses
Ag. Lab. 1841-81 Agricultural labourer
Ap. 1841-61 Apprentice
Army 1841 Members of HM land forces of whatever rank
Cl. 1841-61 Clerk
FS. 1841 Female servant
H.P. 1841 Members of HM armed forces on half-pay
Ind. 1841 Independent - people living on their own means
J. 1841 Journeyman
M. 1841 Manufacturer
m. 1841 Maker - as in 'Shoe m.'
MS 1841 Male servant
Navy 1841 Members of HM naval forces, including marines,
of whatever rank
P. 1841 Pensioners in HM armed forces
Rail Lab. 1851 Railway labourer
Serv. 1861 Servant
Sh. 1841 Shopman
Stan
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Thank you Stan thats really useful, well worth saving ;D
Rosie
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Just found this thread by chance..... Have just come across two M S in an 1841 but they were aged only 7 & 10 years old! I too thought that FS was Farm Servant, but seen as it listed on the same particular census, it must mean Female Servant. Talk about working at a young age! :o
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Talk about working at a young age! :o
In 1842 an Act was passed forbiding the employment of boys under ten in coal mines, so I think being a servant would be preferable
Stan
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Talk about working at a young age! :o
In 1842 an Act was passed forbiding the employment of boys under ten in coal mines, so I think being a servant would be preferable
Stan
These were employed on the farm.... what a thought tho, youngsters down the coal mines :o
Lynn
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I have come across the same abbrev in 1841 census M.L. and F.L. or it could be M.S. and F.S. It does not relate to gender because I have a Mary Batty aged 60 who is M.L.
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I have come across the same abbrev in 1841 census M.L. and F.L. or it could be M.S. and F.S. It does not relate to gender because I have a Mary Batty aged 60 who is M.L.
Hi there, :)
Welcome to RootsChat, great place for help with family history.
I think your Mary BATTY in 1841 was with a Joseph BATTY aged 65, and that the enumerator has recorded Joseph's occupation against Mary rather than against Joseph. I think you will find that the enumerator wrote "M.S." and that is the abbreviation in 1841 UK census for Male Servant.
I attach snip of part of one page from 1841, Salford to show Joseph without an occupation, and further down the page there's a Thomas as " M.S."
And further down the page (but not in the snip), in Thomas' household there's a lass named Sarah, clearly an S and not an L.
:)
JM
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Thank you ... that makes sense.
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These were employed on the farm.... what a thought tho, youngsters down the coal mines :o
Lynn
See for instance https://museum.wales/articles/2011-04-11/Children-in-Mines/ which has the quotation:
Susan Reece, also six years of age and a door keeper in the same colliery said: 'I have been below six or eight months and I don't like it much. I come here at six in the morning and leave at six at night. When my lamp goes out, or I am hungry, I run home. I haven't been hurt yet.'