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From:
Subject: Re: [Ess] Help with 1841 Census please!!!
Date: Tue, 4 Jan 2005 16:02:57 EST



In a message dated 04/01/2005 17:18:20 GMT Standard Time,
writes:

Maybe I've read it wrong but can anyone tell me why the Enumerators doing
the 1841 Census were instructed to put the ages of the people down within age
bands?
Surely it would just have been easier (and less confusing for people like
me!) to ask their ages and put that down as in the 1851 Census and onwards.



Hi Ross

Yes, you've read it right. Under-15s were shown as their true age. Over 15
years and they were rounded down to the nearest 5 years.

I have no real idea why they did it that way - possibly because people were
suspicious about the real reason for a census. For the three censuses before
that no names were recorded and it was only when the 1841 census took place
that 'detailed' information about the family was recorded - albeit names, ages
and where they were born.

I suspect to allay suspicion (to ensure the maximum number of families
complied) the additional information was only recorded in the most general terms,
while still keeping it roughly statistically useful. As a result, adult ages
were recorded in 5 year bands and the place of birth was restricted to 'in or
out' of the county of residence.

These days it does seem more suitable for them just to have recorded the
ages as they were and, to be fair, many enumerators did just that. As in any
walk of life, it's those who do not follow the rules exactly that gives the
genealogist the best information . . .
Dave D

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