More Revelations from the 1911 Census

[Keith Sherwood]

Hi, Everyone,
Like so many of you, I have paid for some credits and gone on the 1911 Census on line for the first time yesterday.  Apart from sharing your disbelief at the plague of mistranscriptions (can't afford to view the original pages just yet!), I've discovered that my indefatigable gt-grandmother Hannah SHERWOOD (nee MILES) carried on producing children beyond 1901.  In fact she had fifteen children between 1878 and 1907, when the final one was born, a Nelson SHERWOOD.
I remember a while ago starting a thread that wondered whether anyone could come up with examples of a woman producing children for more than 25 years or so, based on what I knew then.
Looks like Hannah was pregnant for at least 30 years of her married life.
Remarkable!
And as a final swipe at those mistranscriptions, would the enumerator really have put down the word "Nothing" under occupation for my 17-year great-aunt in 1911, or do I need to fund extra credits and look at the original...?
Very best wishes,
keith

[EmPea]

Hi Keith

The schedules were completed by a member of the household and there is one page per household.  So whatever is on there is completed by someone in the household and not an enumerator!

Regards
Moira

[coombs]

Hi Keith

How old was Hannah in the 1911 census? What was the age gap between her penultimate and last child?

Ben

[Keith Sherwood]

Moira,
Thanks for putting me right on that one!  Sounds as though the head of household - in this case her grandmother, who had grown up in the hardships of Suffolk agricultural life - was perhaps exasperated that her 17-year-old grand-daughter was a lazy bones around the house.  (But I know of at least one Rootschatter on here who might take exception to that suggestion, so I'd better shut up!)
And, Ben, Hannah SHERWOOD's age in the 1911 Eastbourne Census is given as 52, though I'm pretty sure she could only have been 50 or 51 at the most.  Penultimate children (twin girls) aged 7 in 1911;  last child aged 4.  Their mother must have given birth to her first child when 17, her last when 47 years old.  Must have been the sea air...
keith

[coombs]

Hi

It is possible to have a baby at 47 years of age. She must have been healthy then with all that sea air as you say.

Ben

[skb]

My grandparents appear on the 1911 census living with 9 children - the eldest was 25, the youngest was 3, and I know they had one more after that.

They also mistakenly (but handily for me) included 3 other children who had died and the one who was married and living elsewhere.

Incidentally, the "Number of Rooms" that these 11 people were living in was 4, and I assume one of those was the kitchen!

[Romilly]

My grandparents appear on the 1911 census living with 9 children - the eldest was 25, the youngest was 3, and I know they had one more after that.
They also mistakenly (but handily for me) included 3 other children who had died and the one who was married and living elsewhere.
Incidentally, the "Number of Rooms" that these 11 people were living in was 4, and I assume one of those was the kitchen!

The mind boggles at how they managed to concieve all these children...in such close quarters!

Romilly

[sarahsean]

I have 3 children myself that is enough! The thought of having 15 ahh no!!
I have discovered my grandfather had 3 siblings i knew nothing about (both he and my father died young so we know nothing about that side of the family). Also discovered his grandfather was dead and his auntie had married.

Happy days!

Sarah

[Roobarb]

Moira,
 her grandmother, who had grown up in the hardships of Suffolk agricultural life - was perhaps exasperated that her 17-year-old grand-daughter was a lazy bones around the house. 

I don't think she would necessarily have meant that the girl did nothing Keith, I think it's more likely that it was because she didn't have a paid occupation. Perhaps she helped out around the house.