Sargent missing in 1881 census

[Cadoret]

Hi all,

this is just a general one that's perplexing me - I have my g grandfather George Sargent's marriage certificate, and thanks to a rootschat member I have him age 2 in the 1771 census, along with his parents Samuel & Harriett, and a brother, Frederick. I then find his parents at the same address in 1881, and his brother seems to be living with their brother Samuel. But no mention of George anywhere...

I've done a search for him looking for anything other than 'son', assuming he's staying with relatives, but no luck. The only thing I can think of is that his parents became too ill to look after him shortly after 1871, and by 1881 he was listed as someone else's 'son'. The other thing is that his parents are listed as 'S.' & 'Harriett' in 1881, which is why I couldn't find them initially, only after searching on 'Harriett Sargent'. BTW he gave his father's profession as 'Corn Dealer' at his marriage in 1890, and this was Samuel's given profession in 1871. But by 1881, he is listed as 'chaff cutter', which seems to be a very lowly manual job either done by hand or using a static steam engine. :-(

My guess is that George was adopted and his father died shortly after 1871, and his 'adoptive' parents kept the full truth about his fathers end from him... or am I being romantic? In any case all the above is why it's taken a couple of years to find him!

Any ideas where he could be in 1881?

Graeme

[amber39]

You don't give your great grandfather's place of birth. There is a George Sargent age 10 in 1881 census born in Cirencester Glous. ,he is an inmate at Barton Regis Union Workhouse Stapleton . I don't know if this is any help.

[Cadoret]

Ooops! thanks, Amber, anyway. He was actually born in Limehouse in 1869 so the age is not quite right, but I'll put him on my list of possibles; I'm sure I remember my dad said his grandfather was put in the workhouse when he was a boy, and he cried, but I might be misremembering what he said.

Many thanks to Barberai btw, without their help I wouldn't have traced George's father back to Suffolk!