Wouldn't threaded census be a wonderful thing.

[bev&kev]

Brilliant idea, but the chances of it working are very slim!!!

I have just spent 4 miserable, disappointing days trying to trace one particular family through the censuses. I have gone off on the wrong track so many times and I still have no idea if I have the right lot!

Not only were there 4 families of the same name in the same village in 1841, but they named their kids (of similar ages) identically, but then, (and it took me AGES to realise this!!!) "their kids" on 1841 weren't ALL their kids at all - it seems that on census day, they were stupid enough to have an entire selection of cousins round for tea!!!!

*laughs manically, rips hairs out, chews nails*

[Sheila from Down Under]

All 5 of my pages of my GR this 14 days were for my John King or King's or Ian Smith or Smith's they got the right name, the right year of birth, BUT not the right Country why do we bother ????
Sheila

[KiteRunner]

Sheila, I've just had the hot match I've been waiting for, so don't knock them!

[Sheila from Down Under]

Well Done Kitrunner, if you happen to find my " John King " around please let me know LOL
Sheila:o

[Olde Crone Holden]

Bev

Ah, I know there would be lots which couldn't be threaded, but it would narrow down the searches if the Buggins family of Acacia Avenue who had lived there since 1841 could be sidelined easily!

I do know what you mean though - the Enumerator in my relatives' district was on something when he did his rounds.

I think he was working from memory because he filled in the names of the family who had lived at the address ten years before, who were related by marriage to the family now living at the address. He realised his mistake and crossed out the surname of the head and wrote a little note in the margin, which the Ancestry transcribers ignored, leaving me scratching my head as to why everyone was 20 years older, not ten. (Parallel names in the two families).

He also wrote another little cryptic note in the margin in tiny writing, somewhere else, which when englarged said "These arrows".

I spent ages ruminating about that, then the penny dropped - the unreadable occupation of the head of the house (who was only 20) was beersellerer (sic) and the note MEANT "Three Arrows" as in public house!

OC

[bev&kev]

PMSL, that's excellent OC!!!

Seriously though, what are the chances of, on 1841 census night, one family's child(ren) being in the house of (probably) aunt and uncle, while the same family have (at least) one child, with the same surname, in their household who wasn't their offspring???

That's the closest I've come to tears of frustration for a long time! If I hadn't discovered grandchildren of said families with the "wrong" grandparents in later censuses, I would never have known.

[Olde Crone Holden]

Talking of tears of frustration....

I finally tracked down a known address, on the 1841 census, looking for MY elusive James Holden with a possible mother Jane (as opposed to anyone's elses James Holden you understand)

The entry reads:

James Holden 70
Margaret Holden 65
James Holden 15
James Holden 15
James Holden 15
Jane Holden age UNKNOWN.

OC

[Kit]

I love the idea OC but think there may be a lot of arguments as to who is suitable to do it.

As for YOUR James Holden, there is only one thing you can do - lol or go mad.