Stockwell and Newington in Surrey.

[Carl42]

Can anyone think of a reason why someone living in Newington, Surrey in the 1841 census might say that they were NOT born in that county, only to later declare in the 1851 census that they were in fact born in Stockwell.  Was Stockwell in Lambeth and was Lambeth not part of Surrey?

[Milliepede]

Simple mistake by the census enumerator perhaps.  Is that the only 2 census the person appears on?

[rosie99]

Anyones guess really why they answered No but perhaps they thought it was were they born in Newington.

The place of birth on any census are not necessarily reliable.

[Carl42]

Thanks Milliepede and Rosie.  They both said 'not born in the county' in 1841.  The husband died in 1850 -Grrr!, however his wife reported in both 1851 and 1861 that she was born in Stockwell.  There is other evidence to support the fact that she was born there - her father paid Land Tax in Stockwell.  I was hoping for a 'black' or 'white' answer, such as - Newington was seen as being in Southwark borough, whilst Stockwell was seen as being in Lambeth borough and confusing borough with county was a common mistake.  Wishful thinking!

He was my 4x grandfather.  She MAY be my 4x grandmother who gave birth to my 3x grandfather before she was 14 years old.  There is no birth record. They didn't marry (record exists) until the child was 12 and the mother was 25.  My 3x grandfather was baptised when he was 20 and he named his parents as the couple who married when he was 12.  All a bit messy isn't it?

If I could place the father as being 'born in Stockwell', then it would be another piece in the jig-saw puzzle to indicate that they grew up together.  Clutching at straws!

Thanks again, Carl