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Census Lookups General Lookups => Census and Resource Discussion => Topic started by: stonechat on Sunday 07 August 05 17:40 BST (UK)

Title: Can you read this name and guess what it should be
Post by: stonechat on Sunday 07 August 05 17:40 BST (UK)
Hi

This name is from 1881 census

Ancestry transcribe us as Turkhea
It looks like Turkhell, bit this does not occur anywhere!

(http://www.cotswan.plus.com/surname.gif)

Thanks Bob
Title: Re: Can you read this name and guess whay it should be
Post by: sillgen on Sunday 07 August 05 17:46 BST (UK)
Tuckhell or Tuckhall?
Title: Re: Can you read this name and guess whay it should be
Post by: bekahsgran on Sunday 07 August 05 17:48 BST (UK)
Hi Bob
I'd say Turkhell as well I think. Its the letter between the h and l thats not clear, but it has to be a vowel, so I'd say 'e'
Anne
Title: Re: Can you read this name and guess whay it should be
Post by: Nessie on Sunday 07 August 05 17:49 BST (UK)
Tarkholt?
Title: Re: Can you read this name and guess whay it should be
Post by: sillgen on Sunday 07 August 05 20:26 BST (UK)
look at the r in Alfred
Andrea
Title: Re: Can you read this name and guess whay it should be
Post by: Arranroots on Sunday 07 August 05 20:51 BST (UK)
You arenot going to go for this, but still

Note Emily's older son is called Richard WHATELEY.

In 1871 his father is still alive - also Richard WHATELEY.

Marriage

Dec quarter 1867 Birmingham

Richard WHATELEY
Emily BITHELL

Vol 6d  Page 175

Will have a look for Joseph to see if he matches - don't hold your breath!!
Title: Re: Can you read this name and guess whay it should be
Post by: Hackstaple on Sunday 07 August 05 22:10 BST (UK)
Emily??? Richard Whateley??? Am I in the wrong thread ???
Title: Re: Can you read this name and guess whay it should be
Post by: Arranroots on Sunday 07 August 05 22:21 BST (UK)
Sorry Hack!

I looked up the 1881 census to see who else was in the household and the head is Emily SMITH with her children...

Have not noted the reference, but if you look it up on ancestry using the transcription mentioned, there is only one!
Title: Re: Can you read this name and guess whay it should be
Post by: stonechat on Monday 08 August 05 06:49 BST (UK)
HI

It is clear Emily has remarried
First husband Richard Whateley, second ? Smith

I was looking for a marriage before 1864 when Richard jun was born, so I missed this one.

This enumerator has some idiosyncratic spellings I have noted ( e.g. Saragh)

I thought this brother would be the key to her maiden name - but however I try to spell it , I never am convinced

Bob
Title: Re: Can you read this name and guess whay it should be
Post by: Hackstaple on Monday 08 August 05 07:06 BST (UK)
I have got into the swing of this now. Emily Whateley m. Charles Smith Dec 1878, Birmingham Vol 6d P 211. The marriage certificate should show her as Smith formerly [Bithell] or whatever.
 8)
Title: Re: Can you read this name and guess whay it should be
Post by: JAP on Monday 08 August 05 09:14 BST (UK)
Well done Arranroots.

In 1861, Emily 20 unmarried and brother Joseph 3 are part of the family of Thomas BITTHELL, a Pearl Button Turner (Joseph's job in 1881).

Whoever filled in the census form in 1881 must have had poor handwriting?

In 1891, Emily's second husband, Charles SMITH is at home.  The three younger WHATELY children are Boarders with them(!); Richard and wife probably next door.

JAP
Title: Re: Can you read this name and guess whay it should be
Post by: JAP on Monday 08 August 05 09:42 BST (UK)
Joseph BITHELL married in 1876.  Females on the same page are Elizabeth ALLEN and Mary Ann SMITH.

In 1891, Joseph BITHELL, 34, Pearl Button Turner, is in Birmingham with wife Elizabeth, a Warehouse Woman, and their children.

Back in 1881, Elizabeth BITHELL, a married Warehouse Woman and her children are in the household of her father, John J(?) ALLEN, a Silversmith in Aston Manor.

So TURKHELL in 1881 does just seem to be an enumerator's error ...

JAP
Title: Re: Can you read this name and guess whay it should be
Post by: lizdb on Monday 08 August 05 09:56 BST (UK)
Tried free BMD for possible marriages (census says he's married)
Names which were possible were Trusswell or Thirkell
Title: Re: Can you read this name and guess whay it should be
Post by: JAP on Monday 08 August 05 12:58 BST (UK)
Hi Bob,

I'm sure that Joseph's name on the 1881 census must be a transcription error by the enumerator i.e. the enumerator misread BITHELL when he copied the Householder's Schedule into his Enumeration Book.

We can't do anything about an enumerator's error but the transcription errors one finds leave me gasping.

Joseph BITHELL and family in 1891 have the surname written out just the once; other members of the family have _"_ marks under it.  But the transcriber couldn't even get that right!  Joseph, his wife, and three of their children are transcribed as BITHELL - the other two as BETHELL!

But that's as nothing compared to the rest of the page.  Admittedly much of it is hard to read - but much is not.
Here are some gems - the first is my reading, the second is what the transcriber recorded.

Example 1 - the BAKER family is transcribed as OPEL!
BAKER Henry/ OPEL George
BAKER Jane F(?)/ OPEL Jane
BAKER Charles E/ OPEL Charles Y
BAKER Clara E/ OPEL Clara
BAKER Walter J(?)/ OPEL Wallie
BAKER John E/ OPEL John E
BAKER Ernest U(?)/ OPEL Ermil G   
BAKER Ann ?/ OPEL Ann

Example 2 - the STANTON family is transcribed as GERSHON
STANTON Charles/ GERSHON Charles
STANTON Selina/ GERSHON Lenna
STANTON Alfred/ GERSHON Alfred
STANTON Ellen/ GERSHON Ellen
STANTON Gertrude/ GERSHON Gertrude
STANTON Harry/ GERSHON Harry
STANTON Herbert/ GERSHON Herbert

And we wonder why we can't find our ancestors in censuses!  Imagine if one were looking for poor Henry BAKER, the Japanner, in 1891 - searching for him under George OPEL would not immediately spring to mind :o

JAP

Title: Re: Can you read this name and guess whay it should be
Post by: stonechat on Monday 08 August 05 17:02 BST (UK)
Another common enumerator error I've seen is when a grandson or niece etc is staying, the enumerator gives them the surname of the head of household incorrectly. I've even seen this for Visitor's son

Bob