Where is the Roberts family of Poplar in 1841?

[bugbear]

After using several records I have assembled the following family:

James Roberts (Butcher) b1794, Shoreditch
Mary Roberts (nee Jessup) b1795, New Buckenham, Norfolk
Married, 1822, Shoreditch.
(children)
Richard Roberts, b1823, Limehouse
James Roberts, b1824, Poplar
John Roberts, b1826, Poplar
William Roberts, b1828, Poplar
Mary Ann Roberts, b1831, Poplar
Matilda Roberts, b1835, Poplar
Ann Rebecca Roberts, b1839, Poplar.

In 1851 and 1861 they are (mostly) together, near the East India Dock.
1851/1861 show James (snr), Mary (snr), John, William, Mary Ann, Matilda, Ann Rebecca.

Only Richard and James are missing from both the 1851 and 1861 census.

I've checked the missing census list, and Poplar and the surrounding areas are OK.

https://www.findmypast.co.uk/articles/census-for-england-wales-and-scotland-missing-pieces

So - can anyone help me find the Roberts family? I have a FindMyPast and Anc sub, and have tried every searching trick I know.

[Bookbox]

I've checked the missing census list, and Poplar and the surrounding areas are OK.
https://www.findmypast.co.uk/articles/census-for-england-wales-and-scotland-missing-pieces

There are plenty of streets and parts of streets missing from the censuses that aren’t notified by FindMyPast. Only complete pieces that are missing are included in that list.

If an online search by name doesn't produce the family, you might try a search by address. To pin down an address for them in 1841, Ann Rebecca’s 1839 birth certificate or baptism record might help.

In the index to the 1831 parish census for Poplar (transcribed by East of London FHS), they appear to be in Penny Fields:

ROBERTS, James
Butcher
41 Penny Fields
5 males, 2 females (total 7 persons)
page 132

The original returns are at Tower Hamlets Local Studies Library, not online. They have been microfilmed, and the staff might look up the 1831 entry for you on p. 132, but it won’t include names of any other family members.
local.history@towerhamlets.gov.uk

There is also an 1821 census for Poplar, but that is also Heads of Household only. If I remember correctly it doesn’t even include occupations, only categories such as Agricultural, Trade, etc. That may make it hard to identify the correct James Roberts, if indeed he was there in that year.

[bugbear]

That's both educational (in general) and informative (in particular).

Thank you very much!

[cuffie81]

In case you haven't seen this already, which ties in with Bookbox's find.

Public Ledger and Daily Advertiser
02 Apr 1833
page 4, column 4
Insolvent Debtors' Court
- The matters of the petitions and schedules of
- the prisoners hereinafter named
- (the same having been filed in the Court)
- are appointed to be heard at the Court-house,
- in Portugal-street, in Lincoln's Inn-fields,
- on Wednesday, April 24, at nine in the forenoon
...
- James Roberts, late of 9, Three Colt-street, Limehouse, out of business


Perry's Bankrupt Gazette
06 Apr 1833
page 3, column 2; page 4, column 1
Insolvents
- Gazette - March 29, 1833
- Petitions to be heard at the Court-house, Portugal-street
- Lincoln's Inn Fields, 19th April, at nine
...
- ROBERTS James, of Penny Fields, Poplar, butcher,
- late of Three Colt-street, out of business