Carmichael Cunningham, born 30 Oct 1825, Colinton, Edinburgh.

[CaroleW]

In 1841, ages from 16yrs onwards were rounded down to the nearest 5yrs.

Burnet would have been 17yrs old when it was taken and Carmichael 15yrs old.

Burnet would be rounded down to age 15 so both boys would show a birthyear of 1826


Instructions to enumerators on the 1841 census

"Write the age of  every person under 15 years of age as it is stated to you.
For persons aged 15 years and upwards, write the lowest of the term of 5
years within which the age is.
Thus -for persons aged
15 years and under 20 write 15;
20 years and under 25 write 20;

[Fifer66]

In 1841, ages from 16yrs onwards were rounded down to the nearest 5yrs.

Burnet would have been 17yrs old when it was taken and Carmichael 15yrs old.

Burnet would be rounded down to age 15 so both boys would show a birthyear of 1826


Instructions to enumerators on the 1841 census

"Write the age of  every person under 15 years of age as it is stated to you.
For persons aged 15 years and upwards, write the lowest of the term of 5
years within which the age is.
Thus -for persons aged
15 years and under 20 write 15;
20 years and under 25 write 20;

That clarifies the issue on being brothers, thanks for info, much appreciated.

[isobelw]

A Burnett Cunningham of the right age and place of birth immigrated to New York in 1858. Strangely a Carmichael Cunningham ( occ Smith) also appears to have immigrated in 1854 although dob shows as 1828 not 1825 ( records on Familysearch)  No sign of either on the 1860 US census as far as I can see.
Isobel
Addendum - sorry I misread Burnett's year of birth which was 1823 so maybe not correct person

[Fifer66]

A Burnett Cunningham of the right age and place of birth immigrated to New York in 1858. Strangely a Carmichael Cunningham ( occ Smith) also appears to have immigrated in 1854 although dob shows as 1828 not 1825 ( records on Familysearch)  No sign of either on the 1860 US census as far as I can see.
Isobel
Addendum - sorry I misread Burnett's year of birth which was 1823 so maybe not correct person

Isobelw - Info would explain a few things. The last I can find Burnet Cunningham is in 1851 census staying in Duncan St, Leith. There are no further records in any census or deaths etc in Britain so far.

Carmichael Cunningham may have emigrated as per your info as occupation and approx.date of birth would tie in plus a fairly unusual name. It is possible he left and then returned as he appears back on 1861 census with wife and children in Colinton however does not appear on any further census after this date although name appears on children's birth certificates after 1861. More questions than answers here!!!!! Thanks very much for the info!

[isobelw]

Re. the Burnet(t) Cunningham death in 1871 that you found  - the Greenock Advertiser records a Burnet Cunningham dying in Port Glasgow in Dec 1871 but I can't see any matching death record on Scotlandspeople in 1871/1872. Very strange.
Isobel

[Fifer66]

Re. the Burnet(t) Cunningham death in 1871 that you found  - the Greenock Advertiser records a Burnet Cunningham dying in Port Glasgow in Dec 1871 but I can't see any matching death record on Scotlandspeople in 1871/1872. Very strange.
Isobel

I can only find one 'Burnet Cunningham' born in Scotland so far under old parish records up to 1855 (Scotlands People) and birth date I have is 30/11/1823 in Colinton, Edinburgh. This ties in with Burnet Cunningham, Carmichael Cunningham's brother on my tree. As you say, very strange and plot thickens!

[tidybooks]

Hi All,

On SP, in 1871 at Port Glasgow, a Bernard Cunningham death is registered. SP has him as a 30 yo, so does not look like the Burnet(t) we were looking for.

Tom

[Forfarian]

In 1841, ages from 16yrs onwards were rounded down to the nearest 5yrs.
Burnet would have been 17yrs old when it was taken and Carmichael 15yrs old.
Burnet would be rounded down to age 15 so both boys would show a birthyear of 1826

if you incorrectly attempt to 'calculate' their year of birth from their age in the census.

I WISH these web sites that do census transcriptions wouldn't miscalculate like this. The available UK census never lists anyone's year of birth. It lists their age on the day of the census. The census is normally taken about a quarter of the way through the year. So three-quarters of people have yet to have a birthday in the census year. So by the end of the year they will be a year older than they were on census day. So three times out of four you get a wrong answer if you subtract the age from the census year, and by doing this these web sites are introducing a totally unnecessary new set of errors.

You are perfectly correct that someone born in the second half of 1823 would be 17 on census day (7 June) 1841, and would therefore be listed as 15 years old, thereby appearing to be the same age as someone born in the second half of 1825

[Fifer66]

A Burnett Cunningham of the right age and place of birth immigrated to New York in 1858. Strangely a Carmichael Cunningham ( occ Smith) also appears to have immigrated in 1854 although dob shows as 1828 not 1825 ( records on Familysearch)  No sign of either on the 1860 US census as far as I can see.

Quick recap on what we have so far.

Carmichael Cunningham born 30 Oct 1825, Colinton, Edinburgh.
Burnet Cunningham born 30 Nov 1823, Colinton, Edinburgh. Confirmed brothers not twins.

It looks as if both possibly emigrated in 1850's however, Carmichael was recorded on his childrens birth certificates during 1860's in Edinburgh. Burnet does not appear anywhere in Scotland after 1851 census.

Only 1 Burnet Cunningham born in Scotland on parish registers (before 1855) and its our man as mentioned. 8 Carmichael Cunninghams found in this family however none have a dob remotely near this Carmichael, in 1825, that I have found.

So......death certificates still outstanding for The Cunningham boys! Onwards!

Thanks for all the help in helping with this so far.