Need cheering up? read the 1891 census!

[Kennington]

Hi all

I have just had to smile at the following transcription on the 1891 census:

Rate M MASON  born  Sortey, Shotnor hoath

should be: Kate M MASON born Surrey, Thornton Heath.

There is such bad handwriting on this year's census its a wonder we find anything 

Mary

[GrahamTanner]

Probably not in the same league as your example, but ...

An ancestor of mine was born in 1829 in a village called Great Staughton in Huntingdonshire (according to the 1861 Census). I found him (and his family) easily enough in the 1871 Census, but I was 9an still am) unable to find him in the 1881 Census.

I eventually found him in the 1891 Census, where his 'place of birth' details says "Storton, Hunts". It took me a while to realise that this was the correct person. I would imagine that on census night, when the Census bloke asked my GGF where he was born, the Census bloke didn't know how to spell it, so simply spelt it just how it sounded.

[Kennington]

Hi Graham,

Post his name on this site and get everyone to help you look for him.

you'd be amazed what other people can find in one hour when you have been searching for months. I know this as they have helped me several times

Mary

[GrahamTanner]

Thanks Kennington, already been done!

The ancestor was Henry GILBERT. He married in 1852 (certificate ordered just today) and lived in Islington, London in 1861 and 1871.
There was no trace of him in 1881 - and there still is no trace, as far as I'm aware.
By 1891 he was back in Islington, but married to somebody else.!

It appears that his first wife died in 1873, and Henry remarried sometime later. By 1891 his wife was Mary, and I can find 3 or 4 possible marriages between 1879-1883. I'm probably going to have to order all the certificates so that I can find out which is the correct one

Thanks for the suggestion though.