ABERDEEN-L Archives

From: <>
Subject: 1841 Old Machar Census districts - Froghall
Date: Wed, 3 May 2000 14:22:53 +0200

I am just starting to look at the films of the 1841 Census for Old Machar,
and I can see that unless one knows more-or-less where to look, finding a
given name is an almost impossible task, due to the faintness of the image
coupled with the sloppiness (in many cases) of the handwriting. On a
"quick" browse through the first of the two films, I could see there are
about 20 census districts with around 20-30 pages per district, so if I knew
at least in which district(s) I should concentrate my fire, it would help a
lot.

I am looking for the names James and Patience Smith and the last information
I have about James (from an 1821 baptism) is "Nurseryman, Froghall." I
received yesterday, in fact, a copy of an 1821 map of Aberdeen and can even
see on the map an area marked Froghall (close to an road (?) marked
Spittal), with a shaded area clearly marked "Nursery Mr. Smith" so at least
in 1821 I know where he was living. If someone with a knowledge of the
Aberdeen of 1842 could tell me by chance in which census district the
Froghall area would have been found I would appreciate it very much.

I am not even sure I will find James and Patience as our family history
recalls that they, together with their four children, all emigrated to
Canada in 1836. I heard however a few months ago from a researcher in New
Zealand that he is fairly sure he remembers seeing the names of James and
Patience alone in the 1841 census, which if true would be a small sensation
with respect to our family history, but I'd like to check myself to know for
sure.

Having seen just how incredibly difficult it is to attempt to read a census,
I will certainly think twice before expecting "some kind soul" to look up
anything for me in one unless I know exactly where to look.

This thread:

• 1841 Old Machar Census districts - Froghall by <>