Pages: [1]

Author Topic: Census Question  (Read 1752 times)

Offline cumming85

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 17
  • Sara Cumming
    • View Profile
Census Question
« on: Friday 01 April 11 05:16 BST (UK) »
I'm searching the 1871 census and just came across something strange...

this is how the census reads -

Margaret Cumming   34
William Cumming   6
Duncan Cumming   12
Sarah Cumming   3
Mary Peterson       24
Jane McCurtnie      9

Jane McCurtnie is listed as a servant... She is 9... Would this just mean that she is the servants (Mary Peterson's) daughter??

Thanks
Sara
♥
Cumming, Webb, Watt

Offline down-under

  • RootsChat Marquessate
  • *******
  • Posts: 6,860
    • View Profile
Re: Census Question
« Reply #1 on: Friday 01 April 11 06:46 BST (UK) »
Hello

Jane McCurtnie would be the Cummings servant, children that young used to go out to work in those times . Most likely not the other servants daughter

Pam
oakley, Leadbeater, Hemming, Jones, Pearsall, Page,------ Aston, Leominster, Balsall Heath, Tewkesbury, Kings Norton, Birmingham.

census information are crown copyright of www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline cumming85

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 17
  • Sara Cumming
    • View Profile
Re: Census Question
« Reply #2 on: Friday 01 April 11 06:54 BST (UK) »
Thanks Pam...

I guess i'm not used kids that young working...  :)
Cumming, Webb, Watt

Offline sancti

  • RootsChat Marquessate
  • *******
  • Posts: 8,571
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Census Question
« Reply #3 on: Friday 01 April 11 08:35 BST (UK) »
Have you viewed the original image or a transcription? She may have been 19

Offline Gadget

  • RootsChat Marquessate
  • *******
  • Posts: 57,889
    • View Profile
Re: Census Question
« Reply #4 on: Friday 01 April 11 09:18 BST (UK) »
The birth of a Jane Macourtney is registered in Sandsting and Aithsting, Shetland on 22 July 1861, so it is likely that she would have been 9.

Being a servant at that age wasn't all that unusual. Throughout the 19th century there were various acts (see Factories Acts) passed limiting the employment of children. In 1878 the minimum age was raised to 10 and by 1891, this was raised to 11. Although these dates apply to England and Wales, Scotland would be similar but I don't have the dates to hand.

gnu
Census &  BMD information Crown Copyright www.nationalarchives.gov.uk and GROS - www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk

***Restorers - Please do not use my restores without my permission. Thanks***

https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=877762.0

Offline Wiggy

  • RootsChat Marquessate
  • *******
  • Posts: 9,441
  • coloured by Gadget
    • View Profile
Re: Census Question
« Reply #5 on: Friday 01 April 11 09:21 BST (UK) »
I've seen other records with children that young registered as servants - pretty rotten to think about isn't it!

Wiggy 
Gaunt, Ransom, McNally, Stanfield, Kimberley. (Tasmania)
Brown, Johnstone, Eskdale, Brand  (Dumfriesshire,  Scotland)
Booth, Bruerton, Deakin, Wilkes, Kimberley
(Warwicks, Staffords)
Gaunt (Yorks)
Percy, Dunning, Hyne, Grigg, Farley (Devon, UK)
Duncan (Fife, Devon), Hugh, Blee (Cornwall)
Green, Mansfield, (Herts)
Cavenaugh, Ransom (Middlesex)
 

 Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.

Offline Gadget

  • RootsChat Marquessate
  • *******
  • Posts: 57,889
    • View Profile
Re: Census Question
« Reply #6 on: Friday 01 April 11 09:26 BST (UK) »
What is also interesting is that in 1861, Agnes Maccourtney, Jane's mother,  has a female servant, Elizabeth Cummings, aged 11, living with her. Again, Sandsting, Shetland. Reference - District 9, ED 6, page 3.
Census &  BMD information Crown Copyright www.nationalarchives.gov.uk and GROS - www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk

***Restorers - Please do not use my restores without my permission. Thanks***

https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=877762.0

Offline cumming85

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 17
  • Sara Cumming
    • View Profile
Re: Census Question
« Reply #7 on: Friday 01 April 11 12:10 BST (UK) »
It is all very interesting!  I have a daughter who is almost 6 and it saddens me to think that kids that old didn't get to be kids... But times were very different back then... This family i have ruled out as being in my direct history, but it just caught my eye...

Sara
♥
Cumming, Webb, Watt

Offline Skoosh

  • RootsChat Marquessate
  • *******
  • Posts: 5,736
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Census Question
« Reply #8 on: Friday 01 April 11 16:36 BST (UK) »
Kids were certainly sent down the pits and up the chimneys as climbing boys, a domestic would have an easy time by comparison.    Skoosh.
Pages: [1]