Finding your way round the Census

Nearly 70 members and guests enjoyed a very good May meeting. The Speaker, Society member Brian Jones, entertained and educated us with his talk, “Finding your way round the Census”. There was something for everyone in the talk, even those who had made use of the census for years Brian explained the similarities and differences in what was recorded on the census, and how it was recorded, over the period 1841 and 1901 along with the problems that can be encountered. Some censuses are easier to use than the others, because they have been widely transcribed (e.g. 1851) and even made available on CD (e.g. 1881). However, no matter which census we are using, we can “read between the lines” and make inferences about such things as infant mortality but we should also make assumptions with care. The census only recorded what the enumerator believed he had been told. Brian’s talk was enlivened throughout with amusing anecdotes about resulting in yet another enjoyable and informative evening. [Sue Paul]