Is this just a case of enumerator error?

[Jang]

George Mitchell, boilermaker, and Janet Kirkwood married in Glasgow on 4 June 1850.

Their son, James Mitchell, was baptised on 3 April 1851 in Glasgow.

So far, so good. But the 1851 census has the family living at 75 Clyde St, Barony:

George Mitchell 28  head married Foundry Labourer Alloa
Janet Mitchell wife married 26 Foundry Labourer's wife Alloa
Maria Mitchell daughter 2 weeks  Glasgow

The 1851 census was taken on 30 March 1851, so the facts fit for both James and Maria.

Is it simple a case of the enumerator making a mistake? Or is there another explanation?

Jan

[Johnf04]

Did they have twins, and one died?

[Jang]

Thanks, johnf04, I wondered the same thing but  I'm having trouble finding evidence to back it up.

I know James lived - he married in 1869 and had at least 7 children. In 1861 he was living with his grandparents in Alloa. His mother Janet had remarried in 1862. I did find a James Mitchell, nursing child, living with the Beveridge family in Gorbals in 1851. It's difficult to read his age on the census image - it's been transcribed as 4 months but it could be weeks.

But I can't find a birth or death for a Maria Mitchell on SP that fits with an 1851 birthdate.

[J11]

Have you looked at the original census?  It may be that the writing is so appalling that Maria is a mistranscription. 

[Jang]

Yes, it definitely says Maria !

[J11]

How certain are you that you have the right parents for your James Mitchell?

[Jang]

I'm certain. His marriage certificate has the correct parents, ie George Mitchell and Janet Kirkwood, both living. Also he was living with his grandparents, William and Janet Kirkwood, in 1851.

[sparrett]

Do you have the date of birth for the child James?

He may have been born ex-nuptial and could be any age at baptism.
Maria may be a newborn infant to the couple within the marriage and young James  somewhere else on census night.

Sue

[Jang]

Sue, I'm not sure if the entry I have is for a birth or baptism - I suspect the latter

Glasgow
George Mitchell, boilermaker and Janet Kirkwood, a law. son James b 4 April 1851
witnesses Robert Mitchell, Robert Kirkwood. (His parents married on 4 June 1850 in Glasgow.)

He could be the James Mitchell, living with the Beveridge family in 1851:

William Beveridge 24  St Nunans Parish, Stirlingshire  shoemaker
Margaret Beveridge 28  Paisley, Renfrewshire nurse
Isabella Beveridge 4  Glasgow
William Som 18  lodger mason Edinburgh, Midlothian
James Mitchell 4 Mo  Glasgow, Lanarkshire Nursing Child (Child)
Parish Number: 644/2
Civil Parish: Gorbals
County: Lanarkshire
Address: 87 Centre St