Unnamed,unbaptised boy enumerated in 1851 census - updated

[ysabeau]

Hi

In the 1851 census for NetherMinmone, Leochel living with the Williams family is the following entry :

Child unbaptised - grandson - aged one year - born @ Leochel

Has anyone else come across this before.......and setting aside the practicalities, is this unusual

Ysabeau

[kenjo]

Meece,
I can't say, I have ever seen that before
kenjo

[kenjo]

I bit off the track here,
but I have been reading about, concealed pregnancies, and murdered babies.
I was very surprised to read that there wasn't much difference, in punishment, whether they were murderers or not. usually a slap on the wrist and 9 months in jail!!!!   but these little unwanted babies were not named, not for some time.

I think it is great, they were given a 2nd chance.(the mother) (considering they were children themselves, in most cases)
but it was not what I was expecting......considering over the border, convicts were getting 7yrs for minor offenses.
So the courts, were, not, such monstrous places, after all.
kenjo

[ibi]

Ysabeau

Not unusual in 1851 and 1841 in particular when there wasn't any pressure to carry out a civil registration of the birth. Still not that unusual in later censuses, especially in remoter areas where it could take some effort to get in to visit the registrar.

What is unusual is the age. In other words a few days, or a few months at most I've seen, but never 1 year. Is it definitely a "1" on its own, and not "1d" or "1m"?

If it was 1 year, then how did they refer to the child in the household from day to day? 

ibi

[JAP]

Hi Ysabeau,

From what you say, it doesn't necessarily indicate that the poor little chap didn't have a name - just that he hadn't been baptized (and, of course, this was before statutory registration).

Might this be nothing more than a reflection of unbending religious beliefs on the part of the enumerator!?

That is, that the enumerator wasn't about to enter the name of poor Bubby until and unless Bubby's name was formally given and blessed at what the enumerator regarded as a proper and essential baptismal ceremony ...

Just an idea (if, indeed, Bubby was actually 1 year old).

JAP
Kenjo, don't you believe it - they were monstrous.  This is stepping right into the dark side but I know someone whose Scots ancestry includes a little girl who gave birth to a child by her widowed father; nothing happened to him - she was imprisoned and transported.

[ysabeau]

Ysabeau

What is unusual is the age. In other words a few days, or a few months at most I've seen, but never 1 year. Is it definitely a "1" on its own, and not "1d" or "1m"?

If it was 1 year, then how did they refer to the child in the household from day to day? 

ibi

Good morning ibi

Definitely 1 on its own......if I knew how, I would "post" the relevant census entry

Ysabeau

[JAP]

Hi Ysabeau,

Here is a thread about adding images to posts:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,12753.0.html

And a post on the Technical Help board in the Common Room should get you lots of assistance.

JAP

[ysabeau]

Hi

Below is copy census entry.

George Masson and Margaret Bruce were the illegitimate children of Catherine Williams

[kenjo]

ysabeau,
What happened to this child when he grew up?
Have you been able to trace him?
Jo