Census entries to giggle over …..

[Russell]

Hi Everybody

I was looking through the 1841 census entries for the Isle of Colonsay today.
Didn't find my ancestors but did see one that was gently amusing.

Ronald Bell
Donald Bell
Flory Bell
Bell Bell

Has anyone else seen fun ones recently

Russell

[grannysrock]

Hi Russel

Weel I found these peeps on the same page as some rellies on Ancestry . There's nothing about there names that's funny at all - 5 of them don't have a name, or an age , or a place of birth. I thought at the time, well we's all got brick walls like, but if these are your ancestors ... good luck mate.


1851 Census, Dalserf


Name Age Birthplace Rel. Occupation William Murry above 20 Known, Not Head Trevaling Bigger
Under 20 Known, Not Wife Trevaling Bigger
Under 20 K, N Daughter Trevaling Bigger
Under 20 K, N Son Trevaling Bigger
Under 20 K, N Son Trevaling Bigger
Under 20 K, N Daughter Trevaling Bigger

Sally

[Russell]

Hi Sally

That one Biggers belief even if your not Head Trevaling Bigger.
Just call me King of the Gypsies

I'm so glad he had a young wife that he knew though.

Russell

[JustJean]

I had a wee rummage on SP to view the page and it was not easy to find it! Had to look for one of the named folks obtainaed from viewing the page full of indexing on Ancestry first. I don't think SP has them in the index at all......not even William Murry who was listed as the head.

The notation on the original page made by the enumerator above the listing of William and his unknowns:

"Persons who sleeped in a shed on the night of the 30th and is put into Table B."

Best wishes
Jean

[StewL]

Maybe they were travelling beggars (aka trevaling biggars) and the enumerator was feart to approach them, in case he wis robbed, or otherwise taken advantage of, all he got from a distance was the heid mans name

[AndrewP]

It is not uncommon to find at the end of a set of farm entries on a census (after the farm and farm cottages) a list of people marked up as slept in the barn that night. Often these are written as names "N.K." (not known) with "about" ages. These were presumably guessed by the farmer. Sometimes these people were named and with ages - as if the farmer had asked them.

From 1861 onwards, there were instructions to the enumerator regarding those who slept in places other than a house during the night that the census was talen. The text below is from the 1861 census enumerators' instructions (available in the TalkingScot census pages).

• After having completed the entry of all the Enumeration Schedules according to the above directions, commence a fresh page, and writing across the top “List of Persons not in Houses,” proceed to copy from your “Memorandum Book” the particulars contained in the list of Persons who slept in Barns, Sheds, &c. When marking up the totals at the foot of that page, the column headed “Houses” must be left blank, as Barns, Sheds &c., are not to be reckoned as houses.

All the best,

AndrewP

[hbaird]

...wish I could remember on which census I saw the entry stating that an "unknown boy had slept in the barn and was gone by morning". I felt so sad for the lad when I read that!

[speleobat2]

I came across a relative whose occupation was listed as Searches of Music. Two decades later, he was a Teacher of Music. This is interesting because I don't know a single member of my family who can even carry a tune in a bucket!

[HeatherH]

I have a rellie who's occupation in 1871 and 1881 is Jailer and on 1891, 1901 Tailer according to the index on Ancestry. I am saving my pennies to solve this mystery.
HH

[Russell]

Hi All

Just found another

Archie Moore on the 1861 census in Johnstone (Abbey, Paisley) was recorded as being aged 90 (open to doubt though)
His occupation listed as - "Drives a cuddy"

I would have thought he would have difficulty in climbing aboard the waggon

Russell