Genealogy Chat

Heather, In my family if one child died, another one was given the same name. June

One of mine was when a contact gave me his list of ancestors and I thought why are there 2 Williams in his list of one family. When I looked at the censuses I found that the William aged 1 in the 1881 was shown aged 11 MONTHS in the 1891. Mystery solved, as in the 1901 he is 21 years! Though why someone would have thought two kids would be given the same name in a family .........

Some times pays to put in only first half of surname. Edith Cog came up with Coggin (G/ma). Coggan and family including G/ma. Coggon and family including G/ma. Birthdate and place was the common factor. Be wary of ages too. Many were guess work of illiterate people or census taker took information from third party. My Mother Doris (Dot) became Dorothy on census paper and electoral role, only returned to proper name on moving to new address.

Just a thought and I dont know if its a good one, does anyone know when transporting stopped? He may have been transported for some crime or other, usually 7 or 14 years. Most didnt come back again, some did though.

Thanks to you all for taking the time to reply no doubt the mystery will somehow be solved - plenty of other mysteries in my family so I will probably move on and get back to him at a later stage. Pauline

I am thinking of having a seance and getting old grandads to get us out of all the mess we are in through them.I have that many certs i could sell them buy one get one free.Any offers on Dearmans in London

One of my ancestors was also missing from the 1881 census. Likewise he was missing from the 1901 census, but luckily his wife had said he was serving in South Africa at the time, in the Boer War. I got a copy of his Army papers and that's when I learned he'd also served in the Zulu war in 1879. His regiment was then posted to India before coming home late 1881, so he missed being on the 1881 census by a few months. Cazza

Maybe he used his middle name. Lucia

Pauline The LDS site was being Maintained, so I looked on Family History Online. No Arthur Watson/Wotson/Motson, and no Arthur born Cumberland 1824 -/+ 5 years anywhere either. Nell

Hi Elaine and Pat Thanks for replying. His name ARTHUR WATSON born Longtown Cumberland c1824. Found his wife Mary A Watson born Carlisle 1829 living at 28 Lincoln Street Barrow in Furness. Hope your eyes are better than mine !! Love to find the poor old soul. Regards Pauline

Pauline What is his name? any idea where he was born? Pat x

I have found some of mine - Mistranscribed eg BEYMOND for RAYMOND! Wrong surname eg. Martha Evans (married name) living with parents and her daughter both mistranscribed as her maiden surname of Raymond.(original census says Evans ). Name change (on one census only )from Michael to Richard. One family actually listed twice on same census!!! At own home and also as lodging down the road a street away!! Post your info and maybe another pair of eyes can have a go at looking for you. Elaine x.

Please don't get BORED !! On the 1871 census I have my complete gggrandfather and family living in Dalton. Couldn't find the family on 1881 so tried putting in the youngest child. Woe and behold found them living in Barrow in Furness with my gggrandmother HEAD of the family but still MARRIED. On the 1891 census the same she was HEAD and still married - eventually found poor old gggrandfather (99% sure it's him subject to further investigation) registered as an inmate in the workhouse. The point being why can't I find him on the 1881 census? He must have been somewhere. If he was fighting for his country - what war? If he was serving time would that not have been registered on census? or in another workhouse even. Any suggestions will be grateful Pauline