Oundle 1841 and 1851 census request

[TrishaG]

Hi,
can someone look on both censuses in Oundle for me and find anyone who has the following occupations?

House Broker
Under/Upper Baillif
Bailiff


Trisha

['Tricia]

Oooh, good luck

There are 61 images on the 1841 (and occupations not often included) and 153 images on the 1851 excluding house of correction and workhouse

Any more clues?


Tricia

[TrishaG]

Hi Tricia,
In 1841 my great great grandfather John RAGSDELL/RAYSYDELL gives his occupation as a House Broker which is a type of Bailliff.I think he lived in West Street or North Street with his wife Ellen and a Mrs Wallis and her children(Wallis is a mistrancription for Waller.She's actually his mother in law.)
In 1850on his marriage certificate he's been promoted to an under baillif ,unfortunately I can't find him  on the 1851 census so I'm wondering if he has the same job.Later on by the 1870's he's a Horsebreaker  or groom so he's left the bailiff job.
I'm also wondering who was his boss?There couldn't be many bailifs for Oundle.Suely they were part of the town councils responsibility?Who else worked with him?
Trisha

['Tricia]

Hi Trisha

How can he be with his wife on the 1841 if he doesn't marry until 1850?

I can see a 15 year John Ragsdale in Church Lane, Oundle on the 1841     - not with parents and no occupation given

Tricia

['Tricia]

It is on the 1851 that he is in West Street with his wife Eleanor, Elizabeth Wallis 2 lodgers with surname of Fletcher and James Waller - son to Head, 15 years old and an errand boy.

So - is it 1861 when he is missing?


Tricia

['Tricia]

On the 1861 he is a stable boy.

Perhaps the 1851 entry is incorrect and he is a House Baliff - wrongly transcribed when the actual form was filled in. Horse Breaker  seems more likey to me, though.  The entry doesn't look like that unfortunately


I'm not too sure what a House Broker was doing in 1851

Perhaps he worked for the same guy doing several jobs - with horses and sorting out tenants.


Difficut one.

[TrishaG]

Hi Tricia,
sorry,my mistake it was 1861 I couldn't find him.If you've found him in 1861 could you give me the details,along with anyone else living with him and the adress?
No,in 1851 it's definately house broker.The horsebreaker coming later and sounding so much like it caused me confusion at 1st ,but they are different occupations.I think Bailiff and Broker in this tense is interchangerble.
Basically he was like a bailiff is today.People got into debt,usually because they didn't pay the rent.They were given a few days to find it and a man like John Ragsdell would be left in the house to "take possession"until the time was over.He couldn't leave the building.If he did they of course wouldn't let him in.Food was brought to him.After the time was over he and the bailiffs either took the arrears owing,took possesion of goods to the value of the debt or threw the people out on the street.Awful job.Getting badly paid to support your family from destituion by making others destitute.Probably why he became a groom.
For a brilliant description of a House Broker read"Sketches by Boz" by Charles Dickens.It's one of the earlier sketches.

Trisha

['Tricia]

The wife is Eleanor on the 1851 and Ellen on the 1861 - same one I expect


1861

Bridge Bowers Street, 2 Aitken's Yard, Peterborough, Northants


John Ragsdale Head 35 Stable Boy b Oundle Northants 
Ellen Ragsdale wife 33 b Oundle Northants 
William Thos Ragsdale son 5  b Oundle Northants
Mary Amelia Ragsdale 2 Months b Peterborough Northants

RG9/ 967
Folio 29
Page 20


Tricia

[TrishaG]

Hi Tricia,
thanks for  that.That is him.
So somewhere between 1851 and 1861 he changed jobs.Perhaps when  he moved to Peterborough.Now I used to live in Peterborough for my sins and O f course it's been gutted and I have no idea where Bridge Bowers street was.I'll have to put a post out  or look on an old map if I can find one.
Trisha