What is a Ballabeg

[steelsporran]

Looking at the addresses on a page of the 1851 census for Lonan parish, (for Skillicorn in particular) I see the address is given as just 12 Ballabeg. I know there are villages of that name but is this some kind of thoroughfare or something? Thanks in advance for any enlightenment.

[sillgen]

Just wondered if you are confusing the schedule number (in the first column) with a house number.   It is easy to do that.  It may be referring to the village Ballabeg if so.   

[Voirrey M]

Ballabeg   is   an   area   of   Lonan parish  ,   then &   now   there are just a couple of farms   and
a few  cottages   along   the new  road    which  leads from  Laxey  to Ramsey.  At that time  they
would  be in the fields  & lanes   as the   old   road was at a higher  level   uphill.   A  farm  would
be called   Ballabeg  Farm   but   cottages  often had   no name  or number    or street   name-
locals   would  refer to   a cottage   as   for  example   ---the   Skillicorns '  at   Ballabeg   etc.
My family  cottage at  Ballaragh   above   Ballabeg   never   had   a name on the gate   until   1970.
The    enumerator  walking  his route   was obliged  to number  the houses   as he called   at them
to collect the required  information.

[KGarrad]

Looking at the 1851 census for Laxey, I can't find any house numbers at all.

So, I reckon the "12" is simply the Schedule Number as sillgen pointed out.

[Frances_mnb]

Ballabeg - Balla = farmstead beg = small  [Ballamoar or Ballamore = big farm] - there are probably Ballabegs in all 17 parishes tho in a couple of them the name has now been associated with a a small village - most Balla names derive from 16th C or so (mix of topography + personal names) and are qtrland farms whose original boundaries would be well known to any local (some plots may have been sold off for houses etc) - the number is as pointed out a schedule number (for more details re Manx landholding - very diff from English models) see www.manxnotebook.com

[conahy calling]

http://www.george-broderick.de/iom_docs/iom_place-names.htm

Link has information about place names in Isle of Man 

[steelsporran]

Just wondered if you are confusing the schedule number (in the first column) with a house number.   It is easy to do that.  It may be referring to the village Ballabeg if so.   

:-[Indeed I did (senior moment)

The    enumerator  walking  his route   was obliged  to number  the houses   as he called   at them
to collect the required  information.

And that saves me asking about how big it is.
Thanks again to all.