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Some Special Interests => Occupation Interests => Topic started by: GabStar on Saturday 09 August 14 13:41 BST (UK)
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Hello
My ancestor - Ada Welton is listed in the 1911 census as a vegetarian kitchen maid. She lived on a one room dwelling (12 Camillia St) in Lambeth.
Is there any way to find out where she worked?
Thanks :-)
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I wonder if she lodged where she worked kind of thing? Might be worth looking at the previous/next census entry to see if it was a big house with other servants.
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How do you get access to the 1921 census?
I'll have a look at the 1901 one now and see what it says.
Thanks :)
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There is no access to the 1921 census. :)
I think Milliepede meant that you should look at Ada's neighbours on the 1911 census to see if she was living in the same house where she was working.
There is a large family also living at No 12, however the head of household is a labourer with 10 people living in 5 rooms, so not particularly wealthy. If a family were to employ one live in servant, a "vegetarian kitchen maid" would be an odd choice I would think, and a family would be more likely to just employ a cook, or someone who undertook many and varied tasks within the home.
It looks like Ada may just have one room lodgings within the house, and be employed elsewhere.
It is unlikely that you will ever find out where she worked.
Did she marry? Was what her address when she married? Are there any clues there or in the names of witnesses?
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Apologies I wasn't clear. Ruskie is correct I meant the neighbours census entries for 1911 :)
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Apologies I wasn't clear. Ruskie is correct I meant the neighbours census entries for 1911 :)
I think you were clear Milliepede, (but I can understand how GabStar misunderstood). ;D
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Do you think "vegetarian kitchen maid" actually meant she was a maid responsible for dealing with the vegetables in the kitchen of presumably a big house?
I wouldn't have thought there were many vegetarians around in those days.
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Do you think "vegetarian kitchen maid" actually meant she was a maid responsible for dealing with the vegetables in the kitchen of presumably a big house?
I wouldn't have thought there were many vegetarians around in those days.
That's how I read it too - I think she might have been a "vegetable cook".
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I wouldn't have thought there were many vegetarians around in those days.
Maybe not so many as today but; http://restaurant-ingthroughhistory.com/2008/08/08/early-vegetarian-restaurants/ Also; http://www.ivu.org/history/timeline/1900.html
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The Vegetarian Society was established in 1847 - more details on Wikipedia (George Bernard Shaw was a member). There was a vegetarian boarding school on Ham Common, which is perhaps a bit far from Camellia Street for Ada to be travelling daily, but it's possible that there were other places, maybe a restaurant, closer to where she lived. Perhaps someone at the Vegetarian Society might know.
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There was of course, amongst others, this one; http://womanandhersphere.com/2012/09/06/suffrage-stories-suffragettes-and-tea-rooms-the-gardenia-restaurant/
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My old dictionary from around that period defines vegetarian in the same way as we would today. There is no indication that would link it to just working with vegetables.
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Thanks for all the information, very interesting. I am really surprised vegetarianism has been going for so long. Just shows I shouldn't make assumptions.
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Makes an ASS out of U and ME ;D