The majority of my direct antecedents were East Anglian agricultural labourers. My great-great-grandfather, John Holden (1829-1874) was no exception. The families were large and plotting their progress through the various 19th century censuses has been something of a slog but certainly in the case of the males eventually successful. With John I hit a problem. Taking into account that 'Holden' appears in all sorts of spelling variations I could locate him in 1841 (as a 12-yr old with his parents in Bressingham, Norfolk), then again in 1861 (same village but now with wife Frances - married in 1857 - and two young daughters) but for 1851 there was a complete blank despite using the most open searches. Then I came across an entry for an inmate of the Depwade Union Workhouse at Pulham St Mary; right name, right age, wrong birthplace - but the birthplace given, Burston, is within a couple of miles of his actual one and both are within five or six miles of the workhouse. I conclude that this is him, but it leaves me puzzled. Maybe I have the wrong idea about workhouses and it's not unusual for a member of a very large extended family, none of whom are similarly listed, to find himself in such a place at the age of 21. Yet I find it odd. I wonder if anyone out there has come across similar instances in their own families, or if anyone with experience of studying workhouses could comment? Is there any online index/register of such places listing their occupancy?
Thanks anyhow!
Thanks anyhow!
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