11 year old head of household in 1881?

[RobinC]

PS - Is that your Lydia in Mile End, London in 1901?

RG13/329 f143 p23 - Dempsey Street, Mile End Old Town
Lydia BRIDGE, visitor, widow, 66, laundress, bn Melborne, Cambridgeshire
(Others shown at same address)

Original Census in care of TNA.

I think that could be my Lydia, I'm not aware of any relatives named Davis, Webb or Palmer but Eliza Davis was born in Melbourn in 1825 so they may have known eachother from childhood.

[judyg]

Hi RobinC

FMP has a Lydia 'Budge' at RG11 Piece 1591 Folio 83 Pg 6 (her name is actually on the next page) with the correct birthplace.

A look at the original image looks more like the name 'Bridge'

Cheers
Judyg

[RobinC]

Hi RobinC

FMP has a Lydia 'Budge' at RG11 Piece 1591 Folio 83 Pg 6 (her name is actually on the next page) with the correct birthplace.

A look at the original image looks more like the name 'Bridge'

Cheers
Judyg

Thank you Judy, this could possibly be Lydia, my only doubt is that the age is out by 5 years as my Lydia was born in 1833.

[RobinC]

Having done a bit more digging, it turns out that Fletton & Stanground are next to each other on the outskirts of Peterborough.

I think Geoffer's idea that Lydia worked at night was correct but she was a "monthly nurse" so was probably at work during the census, I also think that Benjamin is in prison during 1881 for "larceny as servant" which would put the mystery to rest.

[hepzibah]

i didn't hazard a guess what had happened to her parents, because the o.p. didn't ask for that information, and i know that there are people on here who are far better able to do research, than i am. unless she was listed in an earlier cencus, as a child of any of the people who 'could' be her parents, we are only taking a leaf of faith, or guessing, as to who they might be.

i simply wanted to point out that it was not unheard of for children to be out in the world alone and earning a living. we don't know how easy we have it , do we!

as for the name hebzibah, which is biblical- i use it only because i love the sound of it-- it's meaning is god fearing, righteous, woman ( probably the exact opposite of 'real' me!)