Laundress - Own account

[clarkerwin]

In census entries for my grandmother's adoptive mother, from the mid 1800s to 1901, her stated occupation moves from 'laundress' to 'laundress - own account' ; this is in Portsmouth.

It may be an obvious question but does that imply that she had set up her own business - either at home or at separate premises - or does it refer to a rather differnt arrangement?

As a side issue, Isabella was a resourceful, colourful, lady, from an Irish family, who apart from 'adopting' my grandmother, was married five times, four of her spouses being Royal Marines. Making research complicated!

Many thanks.

Rosemary

[mshrmh]

Rosemary - I'd need to check, but it may be a case of more specifically completing the census field. The description "own account" does suggest working for herself, rather than at a laundry - in some of the censuses there was a field for employee/own account/ at home (often left blank). If you can compare the heading of the fields relating to occupation on each census it may be that more detail has been added on the census, rather than a change to her circumstances. I've found different levels of detail in the descriptions on successive censuses for farmers at the same farm which I tend to think is more to the slightly different question rather than a change in their details.

[stanmapstone]

This is from the 1901 Householder's Schedule example. Own Account means self-employed, what was Isabella's surname?

Stan

[danuslave]

Hi Rosemary

You often find 'Own account'  linked with working 'At home'.

'Laundress - own account'   could just be a posh way of saying she took in washing (and nothing wrong with that!)   

Linda

[stanmapstone]

It was only the 1901 & 1911 Censuses that had "Employer, worker, or own account". The 1891 Census had "Employer" in column 10, "Employed" in column 11, and "Neither employer nor employed" in column 12. The 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881 censuses just had "Rank, profession or occupation". The 1841 had "Profession, trade, employment or of independent means".
The 1901 instructions for column 14 were that "Own Account" meant neither an Employer nor working for an Employer, but working on own account.
Stan

[clarkerwin]

Thanks to everybody for their input.

Stan - in 1901 Isabella's surname was Parslow!

[stanmapstone]

It does say "Own Account At Home" for her.

Stan

[clarkerwin]

Many thanks.

In the days of many layers of clothing and before the days of labour-saving devices, it must have been very hard work.