JOHN INWOOD born EALING 1840

[esterby]

I wonder if anyone could help look up the birth of JOHN Inwood born Ealing 1840 according to the census.  It is likely he was illegitimate with a mother Elizabeth Inwood born in Marsh Gibbon, Bucks.  When he married the certificate records his name as GEORGE with no father listed.
To add to the confusion a later census before he died showed his birth as in Paddington in 1850.  The dates are no doubt due to the rounding policy to the nearest 10 years.
Previously I understood the Ealing family records centre to be closed for repairs.  If it is open could someone asist me in clearing up the confusing picture.
Esterby

[suzard]

Hi Esterby,

What rounding policy are you referring to ?  It was only in the 1841 census the enumerator was (supposed to) round ages down to nearest 5 years???

Suz

[esterby]

Hi Suz,
For some reason I have thought he may have been born 1838 and this was rounded to 1840.  Regarding the census where I did find him his birth was 1840 but his place changed to Paddington.  He was in Oxford and married at St Clements but as George to Catherine Buckland sometime known as Kate Buckland.  She is the mother of the children and John the father in the various census.
My knowledge on rounding was from comment and I thank you for it being only the 1840 census.
Esterby

[suzard]

ages can vary by a couple of years from census to census - it depends on who gave the enumerator the information -some didn't know what age they really were!
You also come across females who perhaps knock a few years off their ages if they marry a younger man!
Also sometimes the age is mistranscribed -the images have marks on them which have been made when the census returns were checked and sometimes the mark will go through part of the age.

2 years difference between actual birth and age on census is nothing to worry about - it was the 10 years I was referring to -but even that could be mistranscribed!

On the 1841 census the ages are supposed to be rounded down to the nearest 5 years if aged 15+ -so if someone's age was given as 15 they could be aged 15-19. Childrens (under 15) correct age should be given - but you can imagine the enumerators confusion !

Suz

[dawnsh]

Ealing Central library is still closed and word on the grapevine is June at the earliest 

The LMA has just re-opened but today there were a lot of people queueing up for not many microfilm readers, it's going to take a few weeks to get back to normal.

Dawn

[esterby]

Hi Dawn,
Thanks for your update. Any help you can give would be appreciated once the rush has subsided.
Esterby