A Challenge: Where is Robert ACFIELD in 1841?

[rthom]

I apologize for posting this request so generally, but this is driving me crazy and I would greatly appreciate it if some kind RootsChatter would find my G2-gf Robert ACFIELD (variant ACKFIELD) in the 1841 census for England.  Robert was born 1811 in Coddenham, Suffolk, and was a Plumber & Glazier living at 5 Titchborne Row, Paddington, St John London, at the time of the 1851 census [HO107/1467/463/41].  In 1841, he could be living with his wife Hannah (b 1816 London), daughter Marilina (b 1834 London), and maybe daughter Harriet (b 1839 London).  My requests for lookups for Robert in London and Suffolk have so far drawn a blank so I thought I should widen the net, which hopefully should be feasible given the uncommon name.

Thanks, rthom

[millerina]

Hi rthom,

I haven't been able to find your Acfields at all, which makes me think that it is very possible that they were still living in Paddington in 1841. Sadly, as far as I know, the 1841 census for Paddington is missing/has not survived . If nobody else is able to find them, then that is the most likely reason.

millerina

[rthom]

Many thanks, Millerina.  I agree that Paddington is the most likely location but this family was moving around quite a bit at this time, hence the widened net.  It will be sad if the Paddington census has not survived.  I found the 1841 record for Robert's brother John Acfield at Upper Gloucester Place, Marylebone, less than a mile away from where Robert was in 1851 (Titchbourne Row).  The other possibility is that the record has been mis-indexed and the limited information on ages and places of birth means that filtering is much more difficult.  I have seen the name indexed as DERFIELD!  Does the 1841 census database allow searching by location or street address?

Regards, rthom