census

[Gwen@coggiecorner]

Would someone be so kind to look at 2 census for me and see if they agree with me that it states Thomas is Blind. I'm a bit baffled because if he was blind how could he work it reads he is a coal miner (1861 census). On the 1871 census what do you think it reads in the occupation column and do you think it also reads RNIB in the last column?

1861 RG9, Piece2003, Folio 88, Page 20
Thomas Hayward born Staffordshire

1871 RG10, Piece 2949, FOLIO 52, Page 20
Thomas Hayward
Born 1819 Wombridge Staffordshire

Thanks in advance

[HeleninGlos]

Gwen, I think that the occupation reads Stone Miner, the notes are more difficult but possibly Blind ex/in (i can see a dot when magnified suggesting might be an i), PL (I think) 16 years.

Helen

[Gwen@coggiecorner]

I've been looking again and agree it reads stone miner but each time I look I still think it reads blind why would they write in that column if you did not have an impairment.
I think I looked to much so will go away and look at it in a couple of days hopefully I will read something different.
I know it makes sense that he cannot be blind how would he work?

[margaretmarch]

I wonder if on the 1871 it says he is "blind in the R E for 15 years". So maybe he is not fully blind just had an accident that destroyed the sight in one eye. I suppose also that there might be jobs he could do in a mine that did not require sight maybe pushing the buckets on the tracks?
Margaret

[Bertie]

Re. margaretmarch post (and not seeing the original) most likely blind in the R (right) E (eye) for 15 years, thus able to work! If there was some sort of industrial accident there may be something in the local papers or from the coal mining company?