1841 census help

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

You know when you are sure you found someone on the census before, but now you can't find them?!

1841.....I'm looking for John Barratt BIGGS a miller of Bromham, Bedfordshire.

His death was registered in Q1 of 1842 (as John Farratt Biggs!)

I don't know his age (this is my problem and what I need to discover), but he would have been fairly old - he was an adult in 1789, so a minimum of 70, possibly more in 1841. His wife was Susannah, but I think she was already dec'd by 1841 (not sure though).

I have to go and wrestle with a roast chicken, so may not be back for a while

Thanks for reading

[KiteRunner]

There is a very faded page on ancestry which is supposed to have a John, no surname transcribed, age 70, but I can't make it out at all so I'll leave you to strain your eyes over it, lol:

Piece 8; Book: 3; Civil Parish: Bromham; County: Bedfordshire; Enumeration District: 8; Folio: 6; Page: 7; Line: 10;

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

I saw that one! Think it says Ag Lab and I could have sworn the one I saw said miller :(

I have a vague feeling I only found John by accident and he was with other family members where he wasn't the head, but the head was a miller. His son William was the new miller (age unknown) but I can't find him either! I only know a couple of their children - one was married and untraceable (Caroline Millwood - husband Wm and dau Caroline found, but not her and she was dead by 1851) and and Abraham who was living in Tasmania! Might have been another son called Jesse, from memory.

[AlanC]

A,bit off track, there is a submitted IGI which shows a birth about 1766 of JOHN BIGGS of Nyonham Mills, Bedford. Same record shows his marriage to Susannah Norris 7/4/1787.

[Night Owl]

This could be the son but again its so faded I can't read the occupation

HO107 piece 8, book 3, folio 5, page 5 transcribed as William Beggs age 50

[rkic]

This is the entryfor the Mill at Bromham on page 3 darkened as much as I can.

The second name might well be Susanna and I could make out a case for the 1st one being John although the surname isn't Biggs. Could it be a corruption of Barrett.

[WendyP]

HI Merry


have you seen the NA site

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/A2A/records.aspx?cat=004-z895&cid=-1&Gsm=2008-06-18#-1

for the letters of Abraham Biggs to his brother William Biggs and within the letter dated June 1842 and then dated July 1844 where he mentions his mothers demise.

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

Robert, thanks for that intriguing image. Their ages certainly makes this seem a likely entry.

Alan - thanks for that. The name Norris has cropped up in this part of my tree already, so that's a very possible set of entries. I'll make a note of them.

Wendy - I had seen some of these letters via the Bedford and Luton archive site, but I hadn't found the one you mention, so that's another bit of the jigsaw in place. Thanks

I wonder if this is Susanna's death?

Deaths Dec 1843
BIGGS Susan Bedford 6 28

[WendyP]

Hi Merry


have you see this tree?


John Barrett Biggs + Susannah Norris - PhpGedView

[Jessbowbag]

Bedfordshire County Council: Bromham Mill

seen This -Para 5

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

I hadn't - thank you Wendy! I see the youngest daughter of John and Susannah (Ann 1806) married John Perry and that's the name of the miller on the census entry Robert posted I think their son, also John Perry, is mentioned in those letters.

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

Bedfordshire County Council: Bromham Mill

seen This -Para 5

Thanks for that, Jess - really interesting

[Uncle John]

Merry - if you can find out from BLARS whether they have anything useful to look at, please let me know and I'll try to amble over there. Same applies to Bedford Register Office, which is a shortish bike ride in the opposite direction.

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

Thank you very much UJ, I'll be doing a bit more digging around and will let you know. I'm sure cycling is a very healthy pursuit! lol

[Uncle John]

It's mostly uphill on the way there. BLARS is a bus ride or 2.