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• Message 1.Β 

  Posted by TwoBitTwoBit (U1573417) on Sunday, 11th September 2005

  Can anybody help me get to the bottom of a mystery regarding my family?
  
  In the 1861 census my paternal gr gr gr grandparents are listed as living in Rawcliffe, Yorkshire with their children and my gr gr gr grandmother's mother.
  
  In 1871 the family is now living in Howden, Yorkshire. My gr gr gr grandmother is present and is now head of the household, as is her mother and all the children. However, my gr gr gr grandfather is not listed and my gr gr gr grandmother's marital status is given as 'widow'. The whole family are described as being 'out door paupers' which I understand means they were living on charity from the workhouse but not living there.
  
  It appears therefore, that my gr gr gr grandfather had died between 1861 and 1871 and the family had fallen on hard times. Pretty straight forward. Until you come to the 1881 census that is.
  
  In 1881 the family has moved to Castleford. My gr gr gr grandmother is there as are all the children. However, my 'dead' gr gr gr grandfather has returned from the dead and is once again head of the household. I am certain it is the same man - same job, same age, same name. All the children are listed as his sons and daughters (rather than step-children) thus discounting the slim possibility she had got re-married to a man with the same name as her dead husband.
  
  He also appears with the family in 1891 as head and is listed visiting a sister in 1901.
  
  I have thoroughly checked the 1871 census from top to bottom (including Wales, Channel Islands and Isle of Man) in an attempt to find my gr gr gr grandfather and he does appear to be there at all.
  
  Can anyone think of a possible reason as to why my gr gr gr grandmother would lie about her husband being dead? Could it be connected to her poverty stricken position in 1871?

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by dmatt74 (U1690430) on Sunday, 11th September 2005

  I asume that you have eliminated possibilities like he was in the poorhouse or in the Army. The poorhouse charity records might shed some light on this story as to how many people were being paid.
  
  One of the problems is that the census returns were copied from the original schedules (which do not exist anymore)and errors do appear. The other thing is that the census was literally taken to cover Midnight and fathers were not always in the usual place of residence.

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• Message 3

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by loftyowl (U1774904) on Monday, 12th September 2005

  Have you ever heard the story in which the father of the household goes out to have a hair cut/walk the dog/go to the pub but... never comes back ?
  It was common. In my family, one of my grandfathers 'took a walk'. And it could have occured here. The truth is very difficult to find out unless it is recorded in some form of documentation.
  Of course, the 1837 Act to record births/marriages/deaths and the latter censuses provide the documentation for a particular point in time but they do not provide the full background.
  For example, if the enumerator calling at a house was to have seen a mother and her children, and that the mother was illerate, needing help to complete the census return, it could have been that upon being asked if she were married, that she answered 'No' and that in doing so that this was intrepretated by the enurmerator that she was widowed.
  The truth may have been that she and her 'husband' had indeed not married in either a church or civil service and that they were in fact 'not married'. It could have been that he was away trying to find employment and on the night of the census was sleeping rough. You won't really know unless it is recorded somewhere.
  Now many years later, the recording of the enumerator as 'Widow', provides a somewhat different meaning to you.
  I would, however, recommend that you obtain a copy of the 'husband's death certificate and compare the names on it with other names in your family trail. If they all tie-in, then you have a possible explanation.

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• Message 4

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by DopeyMelvyn (U2096689) on Wednesday, 21st September 2005

  There were several wars going on at that time, may I suggest the arm forces. Although perhaps a check on the poor laws at that time might move you in the correct direction. Prison???
  I wish you luck..... Can anybody help me get to the bottom of a mystery regarding my family?
  
  In the 1861 census my paternal gr gr gr grandparents are listed as living in Rawcliffe, Yorkshire with their children and my gr gr gr grandmother's mother.
  
  In 1871 the family is now living in Howden, Yorkshire. My gr gr gr grandmother is present and is now head of the household, as is her mother and all the children. However, my gr gr gr grandfather is not listed and my gr gr gr grandmother's marital status is given as 'widow'. The whole family are described as being 'out door paupers' which I understand means they were living on charity from the workhouse but not living there.
  
  It appears therefore, that my gr gr gr grandfather had died between 1861 and 1871 and the family had fallen on hard times. Pretty straight forward. Until you come to the 1881 census that is.
  
  In 1881 the family has moved to Castleford. My gr gr gr grandmother is there as are all the children. However, my 'dead' gr gr gr grandfather has returned from the dead and is once again head of the household. I am certain it is the same man - same job, same age, same name. All the children are listed as his sons and daughters (rather than step-children) thus discounting the slim possibility she had got re-married to a man with the same name as her dead husband.
  
  He also appears with the family in 1891 as head and is listed visiting a sister in 1901.
  
  I have thoroughly checked the 1871 census from top to bottom (including Wales, Channel Islands and Isle of Man) in an attempt to find my gr gr gr grandfather and he does appear to be there at all.
  
  Can anyone think of a possible reason as to why my gr gr gr grandmother would lie about her husband being dead? Could it be connected to her poverty stricken position in 1871?Β 

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• Message 5

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by DopeyMelvyn (U2096689) on Wednesday, 21st September 2005

  There were several wars going on at that time, may I suggest the arm forces. Although perhaps a check on the poor laws at that time might move you in the correct direction. Prison???
  I wish you luck.....

  Link to this forum: Back from the Dead

  Report message5

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