Genealogy Chat

Gordon thanks for that you are good to remember that sort of thing, but it is what made me fascinated with the census and our Anscestors. I am not and never have or will be interested in numbers I have a small tree here on genes the rest is hand written with all sorts of stuff about things I have learnt about our ancestors and their times as thats why I find it all so fascinating. Yes it could be they refused to give their names but I think its less likely they would do that, I reckon they didn't bother asking their names. Think not giving names would be more like what goes on today rather than what did go on in those times. Still a very interesting thread, as many others are here, thank you. Pat x

I think I read somewhere that on more recent censuses, there are rather a lot of people named M Mouse

I came across in some rural areas of Yorkshire whole families with name, age, relationship, occupation, place of birth all 'N.K.'. They seemed to itinerant workers, probably Irish as some did have Ireland as place of birth. I just did a search in 1861 for Prostitute, there are eleven Smiths listed. e.g. RG9/3589 Folio 67 Page 48 Household 401 There are two in that household, described as such under occupation. MB

totally agree with the mariners being difficult to place! my gg grandfather was a sailor, and can I find him living anywhere? can I b***ery,

Then there are all those 'inmates', 'patients' and 'mariners' the first two categories only entered as intials and the mariners as u/k

I had great difficulty in finding one of my male rellies who didn't seem to be with his family. Eventually I found him at the pub!!

Of course, it could be that they refused to give their names. Kate.

Hi Pat Just checked the census, which says 'Persons in caravans in Market Place'. It looks like about 25 people. 1891 Cowpen District 6 RG12/4238 Page 75 Schedule 435 (last entries) There must be other examples where people might have been regarded as not worth recording. Shame really! G

Find that amazing Gordon don't disbelief you at all just find the whole thing incredible sometimes. Pat x

Hi Pat Will try and find the relevant page again, but I'm fairly sure there was nothing specific about what sort of persons they were. G

Bea I think that is really interesting and I really hope that is not the reason I can't find a couple of mine on census :-( Gordon, Were they Gypsies? how awful they were listed without a name. Pat x

Not particularly to do with 'gay girls', but I came across others who weren't named in the 1891 census in Cowpen, Nothumberland. These were people living in caravans at the end of the village and were listed by sex and age, but no name. Gordon

Interesting article by Anthony Adolph in the June issue of Ancestors magazine. Explaining Census returns, he says that few prostitutes are mentioned in the censuses,....'despite the fact that tens of thousands were to be found on the streets of London and other cities.' An extract from the Bradford Census is shown - ' A rare entry for gay girls,which was a euphemism for prostitutes,in the Bradford census for 1871. Their male companions are not named.' Sure enough, it shows - 'Ellen Ellison , age 30, occupation Gay Girl, then underneath - Male NK age 27 ' No further details are given for the 'Male'. Several other Gay Girls are shown, but their male 'friends' remain anonymous. This could be one explanation why some of our male ancestors are not to be found on censuses, when we are certain they should be there.