house number puzzle - Sheffield 1861

[bearkat]

I have found my ancestor in the 1861 census living at  1, Bernard Street, Sheffield 
BUT a closer look at the census entry (RG9/3490  folio123 page 36)
clearly shows the numbering of the street as follows;  91... 89... 1... 73... 71... 69.
Can this be correct? 
Is it possible to check the same street in 1851/71 to see if the numbering is the same?

[jacques]

Hello, I also have family members living in Park District. Bernard St.  Yes the numbering is all over the place in fact about 200 houses in total . I have 1871 all printed out and living at number 1 was George Bradley aged 56 and wife Jane same age. He was a Blacksmith, born Yorkshire. I also have the 1851 but have loaned it out. Will ask them to have a look at Number 1 for you. Will letyou have the details leter.
Regards
Pam

[jacques]

Hello it's me again. Regarding 1851 Census for 1 Bernard Street this is now in Ec Dist of St Johns (Park 1n 1871) The following family lived there.
Henry Glossop aged 40 Spring Knife Cutler  Wife Mary aged 40 and children Lucy 18 Thomas 16 Ann 14 Charles 12 John 9 William 7 George 7?Albert 2. All born Sheffield

[bearkat]

Hello jacques,
  Thanks for the interest.
   I know my ancestors weren't living in Bernard St in 1851 or 1871.  Was just wondering if the houses were numbered the same in other years as I found a picture of 1 Bernard St on
picturesheffield.com.  It was a pub and my ancestors weren't publicans.  Richard PLUMBE was a mariner so I'm not sure what he was doing in Sheffield as it's a long way from the sea!
bearkat

[Dalum]

Although the order in which households are entered in the returns usually reflects, more or less, the sequence of the houses on the ground, this is not necessarily always the case. The eneumerator was entering information from individual forms. If his method of working was haphazard they could end up in a different order.

Another possibility is that '1' might be a house number within a court between nos. 73 and 89. Or it could simply be a mistake.

Comparison between censuses, with different enumerators probably taking different routes, is unlikely to help. What would help is examination of the Ratebooks for Sheffield Park in Sheffield Archives. Rates were usually taken every 6 months. Addresses in the Books are likely to be in the order they were visited - rate collection involved a small number of people who would want to perform their task in an efficient manner.

Hugh

[bearkat]

Hi Hugh,
  Many thanks.
   
  Rates books would certainly be a new avenue of research.  Live a long way from Sheffield though so perhaps that's one for when I retire.
  bearkat