1861 Ludlow lookup - James PUGH - vet.

[galante]

Could anyone please look for a James Pugh on the 1861 census.

I have very little information about him although the fact that he was a veterinary surgeon should help. He should be in Ludlow, have a daughter Clara age approx 3, guessing he should be born around 1830.

I know the information isn't ideal, but hoping that his job will make him stand out. Any help would be most appreciated.
Regards
Sandra

[Manchester Rambler]

The only rough match for Clara is with her grandparents in 1861:

RG9/1865; Folio 73; Page 9
Cottage & Garden, Buthy Woolaston
Richard Pugh - Head - 54 - Labourer - b. Alberbury, Shrops
Ann Pugh - Wife - 60 - b. Westbury, Shrops
Clara Pugh - Grandau - 2 - b. Shropshire

Richard and Ann have a 4 yr-old son James in the 1841 census, but I can't find him for certain after that.  I haven't been able to find a James Pugh with the right occupation on any census so far. 

Rambler

[Shropshire Lass]

Hi Sandra

How do you know what you know about James so far - if you see what I mean!  Any certs or census returns?

Poor Clara goes on in the 1871 to be a servant in a household in Tupsley, Herefordshire and in the 1881 is still a servant in a different house in Munsley, Herefordshire - so there's no sign of a family for her.

Rambler - I think the Richard and Ann who have a son James in the 1841 are a different couple to Clara's grandparents which makes it even more confusing.  I can't find another James anywhere either.

Monica

[Manchester Rambler]

Monica - I think you may be right: having looked again, I reckon it's more likely to be one of the 2 Richard/Ann Pugh couples in Alderbury, and neither of those has a son James.

If "James Pugh, veterinary surgeon"' comes solely from Clara's marriage cert, it might be a polite fiction to cover up illegitimacy.  However, it's rather a posh occupation to invent....

Rambler

[Shropshire Lass]

It would show a fairly inventive daughter, wouldn't it?  With all the occupations to choose from...

I can't understand why no James Pugh is appearing on any of the censuses.  Do you think it might be one of those cases where his "real" name is, say Richard James Pugh and he's known as James so as not to be confused with his father?

Monica

[galante]

Unfortunately the only info on James Pugh is from Clara's marriage certificate in 1888 - which also states that by that time he is deceased, which is why I was hoping to find him in 1861.  Obviously he is not playing fair, and I have tried looking at some online directories, without any luck so far.

The reason why we thought Ludlow, is that on later census' she has put place of birth as Ludlow.

Thank you both for your help, maybe I will have to try a different tack - though how escapes me at the minute - but if she is stretching the truth with regard to his occupation - she certainly doesnt do things by halves.  Clara's marriage was to Joesph Morgan who states that his father is a labourer, so you would imagine that there was not the need to make her family appear grander.

[Manchester Rambler]

Perhaps she's combining truth and fiction: she's illegitimate, but her father was really a vet? 

It looks like we may need a birth cert here.... 

Still looking for a vet named Pugh!

Rambler

[Shropshire Lass]

The only birth registration I can find for Clara Pugh, born Ludlow, is in Sep qr 1854, 6a - 461.

These are the details given in the 1871 and 1881:

1871 - RG10/2692, folio 68, p 6.
Tupsley, Herefordshire.
Clara Pugh, 16, General Servant, b. Ludlow.

1881 - RG11/2583, folio 56, p 7.
Munsley, Herefordshire.
Clara Pugh, 24, General Servant, b. Ludlow.

So - I think she's too old for the Clara living with her grandparents in 1861 - and this is her in 1861:

1861 - RG9/1835, folio 110, p 11.
St Lawrence, Shropshire (which is Ludlow)
Mary Pugh, Head, S, 31, Dressmaker, b. Brimfield, Herefordshire.
Pugh, Daughter, 9, Scholar, b. Ludlow.
Clara Pugh, Daughter, 7, Scholar, b. Ludlow.

So is this Clara a red herring - as she is too old for your Clara - or was the age on the marriage certificate wrong as well as the father's occupation?

I think that it would be worth trying to find Rambler's 1861 Clara in other censuses.  She is a better match for age.

Monica

[Manchester Rambler]

The 1861 census just gives "Shropshire" as birthplace, so given that Clara may not have known exactly where she was born, this birth might be a possibility:

Births Dec 1859
PUGH    Clara       
Stourbridge 6c 210

The registration district covers bits of Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire.

Rambler