Genealogy Chat

Can't read/ understand the occupation - 1841 census Mary Clark b1808 Halifax. They are based in Union Street, does this mean that they lived on the premises ? What do the initials mean in occupation ? Thanks

1841


GREENWOOD, Benjamin M 25 1816 Yorkshire (Surgeon)
CHARLESWORTH, John M 13 1828 Yorkshire (Male Servant)
CLARK, Mary F 33 1808 Yorkshire (Female Servant)

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Piece:
1300 Book/Folio:
11/8 Page:
9 Registration District:
Halifax

Civil Parish:
Halifax Municipal Borough:
Halifax Address:
Union Street, Halifax County:
Yorkshire

To be a doctor, let alone a surgeon at that time, one would have to be of significantly higher class than the average you or me. Chances are his 'staff' would have lived on the premises. John Charlesworth would likely have filled the role of Butler/Valet and maybe even coachman and Mary likely kitchen maid/general h/h duties. She may even have been a cook but likely someone else filled that duty and either didn't reside or was away.

http://freepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~calderdalecompanion/g.html#999gr

Just found this site which I think is fascinating. It kind of shows (if you scroll down far enough) that there were Greenwood families with money and connections.

Thanks guys. Big help. There were quite a few Greenwoods in Halifax at the time - but we do have a later Greenwood/ Clark link. Maybe it started here ? Thanks for the tip Jillian.

I don't think surgeons were as 'high up' as physicians back then. Might be worth a look:

http://www-personal.umd.umich.edu/~jonsmith/19cmed.html

Jan

YIKES!!!!

Just read that Jan. Scary! I always hope to learn something new every day and this definitely does this for me. :-0 :-0 :-0 :-0 :-0

Thanks for the pm Jacqui; you are very welcome. Maybe the Royal College of Surgeons have more about him.

a surgeon was often a barber-surgeon back in those early days :-D


ie, a barber who had training in cutting. For hundreds of years, it was beneath the dignity of a physician to perform any kind of surgery.



the census did ask for who was on the premises OVERNIGHT ............. so anyone listed would have been sleeping on the premises

(except of course in the case of a night worker :-) )




sylvia