Genealogy Chat

Children were so open to exploitation. A 40 yr old male (Joseph Kennard), captain of a canal boat on Blisworth Wharf, Northants, has a 7 yr old lad as boatman. I cant help wonder where the lad's parents were. Whether he was an orphan, or they were so poor they needed the money, or even whether he was sold.

Rebekah If you dig a bit deeper, you may find the boy is some kind of relative. His parents wouldn't have seen this as exploitation, but as an opportunity to have the child fed and clothed - something they may not have been able to do themselves, and far better than the dreaded Workhouse. His duties might not have been particularly difficult, if he was the child of a relative, but in those days, nobody expected to get something for nothing. Failing that, he may have been a Workhouse child - they were hired out as servants at a very young age. Childhood, as we know it now, is a modern invention. Before the 20th century, children were seen as small adults and were expected to pull their weight as soon as they could stand up. OC

Something my Dad told me recently (he is an expert in history) - If an unmarried man of advancing years has no children, he will 'adopt' an orphan in order to continue his name and have extended family. Have you looked further? Does this child end up with his surname? Just a suggestion, as my Dad says it was quite common in the 16-1800's. Trudi

Thanks, I feel better now! Couldnt find him on the 1881 so matbe he did adopt his employers name.

I think it should say 17 !!! If you enlarge the image there is a line in front. Also on birth record there is only one down for 1854 & also he is at home with his parents in 1861. Can't find him after that though! Penny UPDATE found him in '91 liviung in Notts with his wife & daughter

Dont be sad Reb, this kiddie was probably happy as a lark working on a canal boat - think of the ones stuck down a mine at that age! As others have said - he may well be a relative and learning a trade or indeed, he is skipping any village school to help his uncle!

Lol! Thats not so bad then.

Well, problem solved then if he were really 17! Probably went on boats/ships after that and thats why he doesnt turn up on the next census.

I agree, he's 17 in 1871. His parents are John and Mary on the 1861

Was going to say the same as OC. Have read the Narrowboat Girl by Annie Murray which gives you a picture through her childhood about the effects of the 1st world war and then falling for a man whose family worked the canal, have the second book which is based round the 2nd world war but haven't read it yet, it's called Water Gypsies. Alot of the children couldn't swim either, I think in the book it mentions they didn't have time to teach them as they were always concentrating on the next load and earning a living (one member of the family is killed when she goes overboard at a lock). Most of one generation of my family stayed with aunts , I was told it was because the parents probably wanted them to have an education. Amazing what you learn when you come across a different occupation in your tree Elaine

Oh Denise, thats awful, poor little thing.