Genealogy Chat

Hello All, I have an interesting situation. In the 1871 census my gg granma Mary Robinson is a widow living with 4 of her children as head of household. When I looked at the 1881 census, Mary is still a widow but has gained two more children born 1878 & 1880!!! Any ideas???? Gillian

it's possible! she may have or be going to remarry, or just kept popping out kids. i have one child who's 'father' by surname died 6 years before she was born and she didn't remarry for another few years!

Depends how old she was. If she is of child-bearing age, she could just have had two more children (perhaps by the milkman!!!). If she was older it's worth checking what her occupation was listed as - she may have taken in or adopted them, for an income. Kath. x

Mary was 42 in 1881 so the children are most likely hers. Her occupation is domestic servant. I suppose a way to find out is to get hold of the children's birth certs. Gillian

I think birth certificates might help, although you might not get a father's name. We have a similar situation. In 1881 my great grandmother is shown as head of household, a widow with young children,all the same surname including one of 3 mths. We had already bought a copy of her husband's death certificate, - he died in 1876. By 1891 she was shown as the wife of another man (and had 3 more daughters) but they didn't marry until 1892.