Inverness NB

[beatrice834]

Please does anyone know what "Inverness NB" means as a birthplace in the 1911 census?
Thanks.

[Little Nell]

Inverness, North Britain.  It is an old term for Scotland, used in the 18th and occasionally 19th centuries.  The hotel on Princes Street, above Waverley Station in Edinburgh used to be called the North British - in fact I still think of it as such, even though it is now named the Balmoral.

Nell

[Skoosh]

I wouldn't have thought NB for Scotland, was still in use in 1911. The naming of the North British Hotels in Edinburgh & Glasgow are from the North British Railway Company which became LNER.
Skoosh.

[shanghaipanda]

Could it possibly be Naval Base??

[GR2]

I agree that NB for North Britain is out of date by 1911. What it might say is Inverness N K. In other words, Born in Inverness-shire, parish Not Known. NK is a regular abbreviation on censuses when a detail isn't known.

Graham.

[Skoosh]

Sounds likely Graham, I was thinking of Nota Bene!       Skoosh.

[IMBER]

This is quite clearly ' North Britain'.  There are many, many examples of the late use of this term into the twentieth century although perhaps more so outwith the central belt. The background is that the terms  South Britain and North Britain were introduced about the time of the union of the crowns but never really took off in England.  It took the Scots a very long time to realise that 'England' was being used to describe the whole island and to react accordingly.

[Skoosh]

England is still being used to describe Britain, the English Queen, English Army etc'. The term NB had almost died out by the early 20th century,  it caused confusion with the London postal designation N8.    Skoosh.

[PrueM]

I agree that NB for North Britain is out of date by 1911.

Yes, but it all depends on who is writing it   They might still have thought of it as NB even if the popular terminology had changed.

Added:  for example, a quick search of "NB" as birthplace on the 1911 census gives 77 returns.  I checked one such family and all 5 members were shown as being born in "Edinburgh, NB".