Genealogy Chat

Sometimes I find scholars age 4 and people working age 12/13 Ros

I think Id double check his age on the census - though you probably have already - in case its been mistranscribed as 17 rather than say 11 or something.

Thanks Merry On the next census he is married and is a dock labourer. Maybe he was hoping to train for something and circumtances dictated otherwise. Simone x

Well, not the norm, No. The trouble is, you don't know what the person who filled in the form was thinking when they put scholar for their son or daughter.....If they were a working class family, maybe the 17 year old was out of work and they didn't want to put that, or 101 other white lies!!?? Having said that.....My g-granddad came from a working class family, but he (through his church) trained to be a teacher and so his education didn't finish until he was 22! Had he been on the census at 17 he would have been down as scholar, but he wouldn't have been at home. My g-granny was from a middle class home who believed in education for women as well as men....she and her sister were still at school at 18 years (in the 1860/70's). Many people who continued their education after 14 would be in a boarding school.....but a lot would depend on where you lived, of course. What did your scholar do in later life? Merry

Hi I have someone on 1881 census age 17, scholar. Was it the norm to still be scholar at this age - I've seen apprentices at this age but not scholar. Thanks Simone x