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Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: Kaliannan on Saturday 25 June 16 14:13 BST (UK)
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On a 1861 census,that is before compulsory education, children are entered as SCHOLAR or the occupation is blank. Does this mean that this marked scholars were at school paid for by their parents and the blanks were not in education?
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Whilst most children were noted as ‘scholars’ by their parents, this may have been to disguise the fact that they were breaking the law by sending their underage children out to work ???
Sandra
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The most common designation for children in the census was that of "scholar", the returns should, however, be used with caution. The definition of the term "scholar" in the census instructions was vague, and became vaguer with time. There was a tendency to use scholar as a blanket term for children whether they were at school or working, as well as the not uncommon cases of "scholars" aged under five years.
In 1851 parents were to record their children as "scholars" if they were above five years of age and were" daily attending school, or receiving regular tuition under a master or governess at home." In 1861, however, regular tuition at home did not require the presence of a master or governess. In 1871 and 1881 children only needed to be "attending a school, or receiving regular instruction at home" to be returned as scholars. In 1891 there was no instruction on the subject. In 1901, however the instruction was that children attending school "and also engaged in a trade or industry should be described as following the particular trade or industry." With the advent of compulsory education after the 1876 Elementary Education Act there may also have been a temptation for some working-class householders to use the term to conceal the work of their children.
Stan
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This is the instruction on the 1861 Householder's Schedule.
Stan
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Thank you all for a quick reply. You have confirmed my thoughts but explained in a brilliant way. I am reconstructing a small community,1300+ entries and this will help (with some reservations) to split up the children. I have coded the occupations into groups. Most of the women have no occupations, but in a mining village I am sure that they were not spending their time at coffee mornings. A few brick yard and pit bank girls and women but not many.
thanks again,
Phil