marital status on census

[Darwin]

My GG Grandmother married in 1864 ( I have the certificate) and had a daughter that year. In 1869 she had another daughter (born in the workhouse), whose father is 'unknown' and my GG grandmother is named as unmarried on that birth certificate.

She then turned up as a servant in the 1871 census as 'unmarried' with both daughters farmed out to relatives. Two more children were born in the workhouse to fathers 'unknown' and each time she was labelled as unmarried. By 1881, she was in the workhouse with the last two children, still labelled unmarried. By 1891, she was out of the workhouse but classed herself as a widow, as she did in 1901 and 1911. She died in 1915.

There is no trace whatsoever of her husband after their daughter's birth in 1864.

I can't imagine they would have been divorced as they were too poor. Does anyone know if there was a policy of officials describing women as unmarried due to having children outside of the marriage? The whole thing is a complete mystery.

[charlotteCH]

In the 1871 census where she is a 'servant" maybe she told the prospective employer she was unmarried- unlikely to admit she had illegitimate children- and then he put that down on the census.

perhaps that's valid in the case of that census... maybe elsewhere also?

Just a thought..
charlotte

[Darwin]

Thanks Charlotte
That could be a possibility for the 1871 census, although it's likely she got the position straight from the workhouse, where she had the 2nd child.

If that were the case, why would she be classed as unmarried on the 3 latter children's birth ceritificates as well as in the workhouse? They all had her husband's surname too (which she kept the rest of her life).

[JAP]

Hi fredflo,

Do you have the birth certificates of the children?

What precisely do they say?

Best regards,

JAP

[Darwin]

Hi Jap

(1st one copied from notes - my mother has this cert but she can't find it!)

Registration District Torrington Devon
16th September 1864 - Ellen Sloman - father Christopher Sloman cordwainer - mother Elizabeth Sloman nee Lee - Crab Down Ashreigney

The following are from the actual certs I have (all are Devon)

5th April 1869 Union Workhouse Crediton - Harriet - female - (father empty) - mother Elizabeth Sloman (occupation of father X) - X the mark of Elizabeth Sloman mother Union Workhouse Crediton - 17th April 1869 - William Backwell Deputy Registrar

1st September 1872 Union Workhouse Crediton - William - boy - (father empty) - mother Elizabeth Sloman (under the name is the word 'formerly' crossed out) Domestic Servant (occupation of father empty) - X the mark of Elizabeth Sloman mother Union Workhouse Crediton - 14th September 1872 - William Backwell Registrar

9th September 1875 Union Workhouse Crediton - Susan - girl - (father empty) - mother Elizabeth Sloman Domestic Servant (occupation of father empty) - William Vanston master of Union Workhouse Crediton - 9th September 1875 - William Backwell Registrar

Thanks for any help.

[Darwin]

If it's any help - here are the census returns for them

1871

Heazille Barton, Rewe, Devon
(living in with farmer & family)
Elizabeth Sloman serv. unm. 34 Serv general b. Devon, Burrington

Ware's Buildings, St Thomas, Exeter, Devon
(living with paternal grandparents)
Ellen Sloman G.Dau 6 scholar b.Devon, Ashreigney

27 High St Crediton, Devon
(living with Wm Hopkins & wife - age 55/53 - labourer) no relation
Harriet Sloman nurse child 1 yr b. devon, Crediton

1881

Union Workhouse Crediton
Elizabeth SLOMAN     U    41 F  Inmate  b. Burrington, Devon
Susan SLOMAN                6 F  Inmate  Crediton, Devon
William SLOMAN               9 M  Inmate  Crediton, Devon

Ellen still living with paternal Gparents in Exeter
Harriet living in with farmer's family as a servant in Shobrooke Devon

1884 Ellen puts Christopher Sloman shoemaker deceased as her father on her marriage cert.

1891
Tolleys, Crediton
Elizabeth Sloman Head Wid 43 charwoman b.Devon Burrington (age wrong by 10 yrs)

1899 Harriet puts Christopher Sloman shoemaker deceased as her father on her marriage cert. (either not been told she was illegitimate or was lying)

1901
Tolleys, Crediton
Elizabeth Sloman Head Widow 66 charwoman b. Devon Burrington

1911
Same as 1901 but aged 74


I don't think posting this in the Devon section would help as the question isn't about Devon or even the name - it's more about trying to find reasons why someone would be classified as unmarried when they are either a widow or still married (but not with husband and having other children).

[JAP]

Hello again fredflo,

I'm clutching at straws here but ...

I have been wondering whether the following death on FreeBMD might actually be your Christopher?

LEAMAN Christopher, death, June quarter 1865, Okehampton, Vol 5b, Page 265

LEAMAN is a believable mistranscription for SLOMAN.  It's not a mistranscription by the FreeBMD volunteers but could be an earlier mistranscription.

Supporting this suggestion is that, in the whole of FreeBMD (all places, all dates, all types),

a) there are only 2 records for a Christopher SLOMAN (and this is "your" Christopher) - his birth in the June quarter 1844, and his marriage in the June quarter 1864

b) there is only 1 record for a Christopher LEAMAN and this is the death record given above

What do you think?

JAP

[JAP]

fredflo,

On the question of marital status, perhaps it was simply an error by the workhouse?  And perhaps that description simply continued on (including when she was employed as a servant in the 1871 - perhaps recommended by the workhouse where her daughter Harriet had been born in 1869). And remember, she couldn't write and possibly couldn't read so she might well not have known how her marital status was recorded in the workhouse records or in censuses.  And she certainly would not have been the one completing the census forms.

Or perhaps she had to portray herself as unmarried in order to be accepted for poor relief?  I wonder whether there is any mention of her in the workhouse records.  Although the following site says relatively few records survive it might nevertheless be worth an enquiry to the Devon Records Office?:
http://www.workhouses.org.uk/index.html?Crediton/Crediton.shtml

On the 1891, 1901 and 1911 censuses, Elizabeth would have given the information herself and therefore she stated that she was a widow (either quite truthfully or for reasons of respectability).

Regards,

JAP

[Darwin]

Hello again fredflo,

I'm clutching at straws here but ...

I have been wondering whether the following death on FreeBMD might actually be your Christopher?

LEAMAN Christopher, death, June quarter 1865, Okehampton, Vol 5b, Page 265

LEAMAN is a believable mistranscription for SLOMAN.  It's not a mistranscription by the FreeBMD volunteers but could be an earlier mistranscription.

Supporting this suggestion is that, in the whole of FreeBMD (all places, all dates, all types),

a) there are only 2 records for a Christopher SLOMAN (and this is "your" Christopher) - his birth in the June quarter 1844, and his marriage in the June quarter 1864

b) there is only 1 record for a Christopher LEAMAN and this is the death record given above

What do you think?

JAP

Hi Jap
I wish it were my Christopher but it isn't. The 1861 census shows a Christopher Leman age 88 who was born in Okehampton and still living within the Okehampton reg, district so the death would be him.

It's possible he joined the Army and was killed overseas as that would explain the absence of any records. He would only have been a private though and there aren't any records of their deaths.

Thanks very much for taking a crack at this.
Fredflo