Alice Who

[Ewan]

Hello

The following is a piece from the 1901 Isle of Man census RG13/5301.  What are your thoughts regarding the entry of the individual, Alice aged 40 wife? 

After the head of the household there is often the 'wife', or someone else with the same surname and the surname has 'do' against it, obviously meaning 'ditto the same as the head'  Well ......... after Alice's name there is a sort of blank.  Any comments anyone?  To me it looks like a hesitation to what the surname was
Ewan

[mshrmh]

I read it as someone using the symbol for ditto rather than the abbreviation "do". 

[LizzieW]

I read it as someone using the symbol for ditto rather than the abbreviation "do".

I agree.

[Ewan]

This is what I thought at first, but then I after staring at it for a few days I wondered why the enumerator used 'do' on what looks like to be most of the page and then the symbol for ditto on this particular entry.

I am not able to look at other pages the enumerator may have filled in, so if anyone could have a look for me I would be grateful.

Thanks for the comments.
Ewan

[millymcb]

I had a look at the other pages and it always appears to say "do" for ditto.   But I agree that it is most likely meant to be ditto...perhaps he just forgot to write it in.

Unless there is some doubt as to whether they were married or not I would go with Alice Cox...

Milly
 

[Ewan]

Thank you Milly for looking at the other pages for me.

It is just that I don't think this couple were married, on his death certificate it does say Alice Cox, widow but my suspicious mind says 'I think not'.  I am thinking perhaps when the relation to head was mentioned there was a bit of hesitation and wife was put down.  Just my opinion though, still hoping that they were married.
Ewan

[Geoff-E]

I am thinking perhaps when the relation to head was mentioned there was a bit of hesitation and wife was put down.  Just my opinion though, still hoping that they were married.
Ewan

It wasn't an interview, they were given a form to fill, just like nowadays.  Then the contents of the forms were copied into the census book and that is what you see.

[jon888]

I am thinking perhaps when the relation to head was mentioned there was a bit of hesitation and wife was put down.  Just my opinion though, still hoping that they were married.
Ewan

It wasn't an interview, they were given a form to fill, just like nowadays.  Then the contents of the forms were copied into the census book and that is what you see.

What happened if they were illiterate?