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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Staffordshire => Topic started by: M_ONeill on Thursday 18 October 18 12:53 BST (UK)
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So I think I've found a reference to one of my first cousins thrice removed, Mary Ann Monckton, in the 1851 census for Wolverhampton. She seems to be doing housemaid service in a house in Darlington Street (although she is also apparently listed as a 'visitor' - as is everyone in the house apart from the Head of Household. Housemaids in other households on the same page are listed as 'servant', by the same hand).
In my research, I've mostly come across houses of related persons with maybe the odd friend or servant tacked on. This is the first time I've come across a household where seemingly nobody is related to anybody, and I was wondering if anyone had any insight here.
The inhabitants are as follows (many thanks to the rootschatters on the handwriting forum for helping decode this!).
Robert Crockett | Head | Widower | 77 | Rector of Nailstone-cum-Normanton, Leicestershire
Mary Davis | Visitor | Un | 54 | (Can't read occupation, looks like 'no' or 'mo' or possibly 'md')
Joseph Grinsell | Visitor| Un | 21 | Solicitor's Gen. Clerk
Mary Ann Monckton | Do. | Un | 18 | Housemaid Servant
Abiathar Hawkes | Do. | Un | 64 | Retired Officer - Army*
*Thanks to another rootschatter, I've learnt that this is Major Abiathar Hawkes, formally of the 39th Regiment.
So what's going on here? It seems like a very motley crew to have in one house. My first thought was maybe some kind of a boarding house, but Robert Crockett seems somewhat old and important to be running one of those. Any ideas?
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Maybe it was a bible class the night the census was taken
Willow x
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Oh that's a good idea, I hadn't thought of that as a possibility!
I mean, the census was on a Sunday...
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I would guess that the residence is the Rectory as that is where the Rev Robert Crockett died the following year. The census showed who was residing there that night, not those who had just popped in, so we know that for that night,, at least they were sleeping there. The fact that they are listed as visitor rather than lodger or boarder makes it look as if it was temporarily, although I'm always a bit suspicious when it has been dittoed rather than written. I wonder if Mary Ann could be his servant, as a man of that status would have one.
The Rev Robert Crockett's will is in full on Ancestry, it might be worth reading that to see if any of those people are mentioned.
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Hi in 1841 Nailstone he is aged 60 and has a Mary Davis and Mary Bostock in household.
Census ref H0107/602/ 10/8 / 10
Keyboard86
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He leaves £500 (I think) to Mary Davis, his faithful servant.
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My first assumption was that Mary Ann Monckton was a servant - but I was somewhat thrown by the 'visitor' description. This was clearly a very inconsistent ennumerator!
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Perhaps Mary Ann Monkton is actually a servant to one of his visitors - my guess would be Mary Davies. :-\
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A servant to a servant? *Inception voice* 'We have to go deeper'. ;D
Maybe the retired major? I don't know if a Solicitor's clerk would have a servant.
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Hi as I suggested if you look at the 1841 census, it is difficult to work out who is Servant to whom?
Keyboard86
PS original difficult to work out surnames or status.
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Yeah, I've just seen the '41 census, I agree it's pretty difficult to parse who is who.
It's a shame I haven't found Mary in the '61 census yet - I think she gets married in the interim. She likely wouldn't have had any link to the Crockett family until Robert came to Wolverhampton, I don't think.
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A servant to a servant? BUT Mary Davies has no occupation stated, and is a visitor. And if you look at other entries on the page, servants are referred to as "House Servant" rather than "Housemaid Servant"
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Hi again, so you believe Mary Davies aged 45 on the 1841 is not the 54 year old in 1851?
Keyboard86
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Oh no, I think it's very likely the same person, I just meant it was difficult to try and get a handle on the social relationships between the people in the household in 1841, given the relative lack of detail compared to later censuses.
Ah, BumbleB, I was getting confused by the reference to Mary Davies as Robert's 'faithful servant' in his will. It's possible that I'm taking that too literally. ;D
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:) Hi with a name like Mary Davies/Davis what makes you believe she married in the interim aged 54+
When/where?
Keyboard86
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Oh sorry, I thought I'd typed the surname but I missed it out! I was referring to Mary Ann Monckton (too many Marys! ;D).
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Hi again, possibly Mary Davies died Sept qtr 1866 Wolverhampton aged 70?
Keyboard86
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A servant to a servant? BUT Mary Davies has no occupation stated, and is a visitor. And if you look at other entries on the page, servants are referred to as "House Servant" rather than "Housemaid Servant"
However, in his will he refers to her as "My faithful servant" and she is with him in 1841.