Birmingham 1861 Census

[iolaus]

In my case he has 3 businesses listed in the 1863 Kelly's directory (one of which is a market gardener and the other two seem to me to suggest he's selling what he produces) so I don't think it's a temporary place

[Greenvale]

Iolaus, interesting thought. His occupation is listed as a brass founder which would fit in with the metal industries in Birmingham at that time. His age is given as 61, however his wife's occupation is listed as a housewife and she was aged 36 considerably younger and fitter than him so it's entirely possible that they were supplementing their income by growing and selling produce. I doubt if it was a registered business but I'll certainly look into it.

[iolaus]

My intial thought was that they were in a tied cottage in the grounds of where he worked

[Greenvale]

Yet another possibility.

[jim1]

This 1866 map shows the address as indicated on Stan's map.
In the triangle formed by Glover St. Watery Lane & Edward St. (not marked) you can see 2 separate buildings & what appears to be 6/7 terraced buildings which would have to be Spring Ct. the rest is open land.

[Greenvale]

Jim, if I compare the two maps it seems to me that the 2 buildings are on Palmer Street, which I think is the unnamed road forming one side of the triangle on your map, but the other buildings marked could very well be Spring Court. I don't know when Little Edward Street was built but it seems to me that it goes right through the middle of the open land shown on your map. I may be misinterpreting the two maps but do you think I could be right?

[stanmapstone]

she was aged 36

Her age is 56, not 36. In the 1851 Census her age is given as 48, and John is still a Brass Founder.

Stan

[Greenvale]

Thanks Stan, since posting those details to you I suddenly realised she had to be older than 36 and checking other sources I've got her birth year as 1803 so that would make her 57/58. It's very easy to misread the old style handwriting. John's birth year was 1801 so his age is correct.

[jim1]

Little Edward St. is here. The unmarked St. is Palmer St. My mistake.