1851 Census Query

[Allan Robson]

Hello All
I wonder if some one can throw some light on a possible birthplace
I have a Relative born 1840 ish whose Birth and Baptism I cant find, his name is John Robson, on the 1851 Census for Sunderland as Follows
John Robson age 11 Born Sunderland
Margaret age 10 Born Sunderland
Armstrong age 8 born Hetton-Le- Hole

I dont have John's Details but I have the birth Reg's of Margaret and Armstrong
this what I find odd, on Margaret's birth cert it say's born in Hetton-Le- Hole 11th Oct 1841, Armstrongs birth cert is Sept 1843 also at Hetton.
why Have the parents said that Margaret was born in Sunderland when the birth cert says Hetton, and yet they have given the correct birthplace on Armstrong.
Can I assume that John and Margaret were both born in Hetton, as this is vital to my search for John.
Hope someone can help.

Regards
Allan Robson

[sillgen]

You don't mention the names of John's parents.  I assume they are John and Eleanor.  Mistakes are often made on census - the enumerator may have simply copied the entry above in error for instance.  Have you found John in later census to see what it says?
It is interesting that in 1841 in Pemberton Street Hetton le Hole an Eleanor Robson is head of a household.
Eleanor 30 ( remember ages were usually rounded down to the nearest 5)
Robert 13
Mary 9
Elizabeth 8
Douglass
John 1 all b in county 
ref HO107 312 Book 10 Folio 7 page 10
What was Eleanor's maiden name and when did they marry?   Could these be earlier children who have left the next by 1851?
Andrea

[Allan Robson]

Hello
Thanks for your e-mail
yes John Robson and Eleanor Urwin were the parent's I am sure the father John was working away in 1841 as he fathered a Daughter Margaret in Ovt 1841.

1851 Census
Sundrland
John Robson age 46 born Corbridge
Eleanor age 41 born Byker
John age 11 born Sunderland
Margaret age 10 born Sunderland
Armstrong age 8 born Hetton

all the other children before John had left home
the family say Margaret was born in Sunderland on the 1851 census her birth cert say Hetton and yet Armstrongs correct birthplace is given.

Regards
Allan

[sillgen]

Have you contacted the local register office to see if they have a suitable birth?   The local church?  you can get films of registers to search from your local LDS centre - including many that are not on the IGI - so that is one way forward.   Why is his birth record so important if you already know his parents?
Andrea

[Allan Robson]

Hello Andrea
To find the birth is important as it could be he was adopted into the family
and my family tree would be useless, and also I wonder if there is a reason why he is not Registered or Baptised, the church in Hetton is 50 yards away from where they lived which was St Nicholas Hetton his other siblings are baptised there so why wasn't he, its very strange.
I have had the births check in Durham and Northumberland and if he is registered either an Registration error has ocurred or something else.

Regards
Allan

[sillgen]

Are there any Robson entries?  Could he have had another first name?  Were the earlier kids all baptised?  If he is the first one after 1837 then it is highly likely they did not register him.  It was not compulsory until 1874 and it may have taken time to become the "done" thing.
I mst say that adoption is the last thing that would occur to me but it might be worth checking to see if either parents had a sister who might have given birth, or one of their daughters perhaps?
Andrea

[Allan Robson]

Hello Andrea
This is my next task checking the Christian names I think John was born Mar 1849 to Sept 1840. 2 of his brothers were baptised in Newcastle his 2 sister's were baptised in Norton Durham theses were pre 1837, there may have been a child between Douglas born 1835 and John 1840 but I have not come across him.

Regards
Allan