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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Kent => Topic started by: GDWrugby on Monday 11 January 16 12:46 GMT (UK)
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Hi,
I have an ancestor who was a guest of Her majesty on the night of the 1851 Census.
The attached image was taken from the Kentish Gazette - Tuesday 25 March 1851.
(http://)
Samuel Pearson, he was born in 1833 so should be about 17 or 18, may have told some porkies about his age though.
Can't seem to locate him in the 1851 census, any suggestions most appreciated.
thanks
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The 1851 census was taken on the 30th of March.
It is possible that the Samuels were listed under initials as people sometimes were if they were in institutions of various kinds. So it could be a task to find him.
Do you know which House of Correction would have been local to the men, or even where they lived? It may be that you can search via address (which I believe is possible on some pay sites) to locate the institution to see if they show up there.
(Maidstone House of Correction is coming up in google searches - but presumably there would be others)
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Canterbury had a "gaol and house of correction."
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Samuel Pearson aged 75 Blacksmith in Kent County Gaol , Maidstone , may well be be 15 , not 75 as transcribed.( Enumerator's mark is obscuring the top of the 1 or 7 )
HO107 Piece 1617 Folio 654 Page 20
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Samuel Pearson aged 75 Blacksmith in Kent County Gaol , Maidstone , may well be be 15 , not 75 as transcribed.( Enumerator's mark is obscuring the top of the 1 or 7 )
HO107 Piece 1617 Folio 654 Page 20
I will have a look at that entry in a minute, but is there a second Samuel Pearson in the same goal, or do you expect the other to be elsewhere?
Is the above man your Samuel Pearson senior? Does the age and occupation fit in with what you know about Samuel Pearson senior?
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This is Samuel senior in the 1851 census (not in prison)
Name: Samuel Pearson
Age: 57
Estimated birth year: abt 1794
Relation: Head
Gender: Male
Where born: Maidstone, Kent, England
Civil Parish: Capel
Samuel Pearson 57
Charles Pearson 23
George Fuller 22
Leah Fuller 23
Ellen Fuller 3
Harriett Fuller 1
I agree the "75" year old Samuel CB53 found is the 15 year old Samuel you are looking for
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I agree with David. THe prisoner is Unmarried and I think he is 15 not 75. Look at the other 7s on the page - they all have a long tail and a curly top, and this is not the case here, so it is a 1 rather than a 7.
Why is Saml snr not in prison? Or are there several Samuel Pearson's in Kent in 1851?
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I agree with David. THe prisoner is Unmarried and I think he is 15 not 75. Look at the other 7s on the
Why is Saml snr not in prison? Or are there several Samuel Pearson's in Kent in 1851?
The Senior Samuel was acquitted at the trial according to the link above.
(yes there are also several Samuel Pearson's in Kent too)
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I think some people are reading 'receiving the same' as 'receiving the same' (sentence) but it actually reads 'receiving' (the charge) 'the same' (the hay stolen by jnr) ;) acquitted.
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I think some people are reading 'receiving the same' as 'receiving the same' (sentence) but it actually reads 'receiving' (the charge) 'the same' (the hay stolen by jnr) ;) acquitted.
That is exactly where I went wrong. Thanks for clearing it up David and josey.(so obvious now it has been pointed out :-[ )
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Hi all,
thanks for all the help, agree the Samuel Pearson, age 15, Blacksmith is him in Maidstone gaol.
Have found more background to the story which I attach, I laugh every time I read about Samuel Pearson snr. This is from South Eastern Gazette - Tuesday 04 March 1851
This is definitely the right family, long line of Blacksmith's, living in Capel now, family originally from Maidstone, but Samuel Jnr's age is wrong. He was not 15 but rather 17, he was baptised in 1833.
Do you think he lied about his age ?
Thanks again for all your help.
cheers
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Are you thinking he may have lied about his age in order to receive a more lenient sentence? (if that would have happened at that time with someone younger)
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Yes, I can't think of another reason why he would lie, although he seems to be quite liberal in what age he puts on the census throughout.
From what I can see he is the only Samuel Pearson born in Maidstone from 1833 to 1838. Definitely right family, living in the right area.
I have him marrying a Caroline Downer in 1853, she was born on the Isle of Wight. I don't have the actual cert ( on the to do list).
His birth year seems to change every other census I have him on to 1891 so was wondering what age he would come up as for this.
I believe his correct birth date is 1833, I have his baptism on the 27th of Oct.
Unless someone has a better explanation ? I knowthe actual date of the census might afffect it a bit but the swings seem too big.
thanks again for all your help.
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A few thoughts:
He may not have known his age or date of birth. Ages often vary wildly through the censuses. How much does his year of birth vary in the documentation you have found so far?
Check all censuses for others of the same name and similar age to rule them out - birth and baptism records may not exist, or may not be online so checking the censuses might pick up another Samuel.
It will be interesting to see how old he claims to be when he marries - let's hope it is not simply of "full age". :)
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I checked my ancestors who were in gaol on the night of the 1851 census and they are identified by name, however those in gaol for the 1861 census were identified by initials - partially anonymized I suppose. I don't know if this was a policy for 1861 or whether it was up to the enumerator how he recorded prisoners in a census.
All other details - age, occupation, place of birth were recorded correctly so you are can be pretty confident you have the right person, especially if the initials are a less common combination. So it is always worth checking on a census for any individuals identified by initials.