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I wonder can some kind person, possibly with better software than mine, decipher Elizabeth's baptism date.at Christleton, Cheshire some time in July 1833. Unfortunately, the original ink on the doc has faded or watered down too much when written.

The entry, presumably from the bishop's transcripts shows:

No. 538  Born Jan 8th Baptised July ?? (date apparently hidden under "No.538") Elizabeth Daughter of William and Allice (sic) Fleet Christleton Shoemaker ..."

Can anyone, possibly with access to great magnification", read the July date for Elizabeth's baptism, please?

In anticipation, many thanks.

John

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But what a Horlicks the enumerator made of it.

That's a bit unfair on the enumerator. It's Ancestry that's made a Horlicks of it.

FindMyPast transcribed Robert Thomas correctly, and has son John Robert as aged 0, correctly reflecting the age of 5 months recorded by the enumerator.

FindMyPast's stab at the female visitor's first name is Rees.  It does appear to begin with R.

Shaun

You are right (again). Mea culpa: Ancestry made a Horlicks of the transcription.

"Eary"? Edwards does, however, look more like Eliz than Rees. Note the shape of the "E" in Edward and Eliz a few lines down at Schedule 28. Also tied in with fiddleclass' find for the 1838 Oswestry birth associated with Thomas, which I will need to research further.

Thanks

John

Wow!

Many thanks, Bookbox, for the clarifications and reference. You're a veritable mine of information. Will check this source out. Clearly, I shall need to spend some time reading the letter to understand better apparent disputes over cash. I did see however that Robert was also an independent preacher
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Yes, indeed, there would have been very few folks able to read/write in English in this location at this time. From my family history's social mobility perspective (his sister Catherine was my second gt grandmother, thus the appearance of niece Margaret Owens as a visitor in 1861), probably the more interesting question is how Robert (b. Oswestry 1819) became a school teacher by 1841 @ aged 20; his father Robert (b. Moelfre, Llansilin, Denbs), was apparently an unskilled labourer.

Best

John

Ah yes. Bookbox has solved it. Robert Thomas was Assistant Overseer in the 1851 census.

Many thanks, Shaun and Bookbox.

Given Robert's bureaucratic/titular role as Parish Clerk, I think an ancilliary bureaucratic/titular role, also appointed by the parish, is more likely. Additionally, the enumerator has apparently been impressed by the importance of these roles in this tiny village and capitalised both titles.

AI corroborates Bookbox: "Under the Old Poor Law, an assistant overseer was ...appointed by a parish to assist the overseers of the poor with the administration of relief to the impoverished. These individuals were often responsible for tasks like collecting the poor rate, maintaining records, and managing outdoor relief ... which could include money, food, clothing, or housing in an alms house."

However, AI is not clear as to whether it was a paid or unpaid position. My guess is that Robert was probably paid as his parish combined the roles.

Many thanks

Best wishes

John