1911 missing persons

[ellyjane70]

If someone failed to list a servant on a census, would that have carried a penalty back in 1911? Did the listing take place on the word of the head of the household only or did the enumerator have to check for himself?

[stepives]

It should only list, who is actually there on the night of census. Any servant could be elsewhere....on holiday, off sick, visiting someone else..........a number of reasons. Or the person could have been just left off, by the householder by accident.
The enumerator wouldn't check for theirselves.

Steve.

[stepives]

I forgot to add, that the pages could be, mis-transcribed, lost, damaged or destroyed.......accidentally.

I've been unable to find my maternal Grandparents and Uncles and Aunts in 1911 census.

[susan-y]

Mis-transcribed is a biggie! Some surnames on my tree were horribly mangled by the transcribers.... Also, remember employers may not have known the actual birthplace of someone so just put down the town/county they are now in. I found someone with the same surname I am looking for, listed by surname only, Female, servant, but born in the employers present town. I am pretty sure it is the person I am looking for from verbal family history... but????????????

Sue

[Megan Roberts]

The 1911 census was the first one not "written" by the enumerators, but by the household - probably the head, or at least the one who was literate.

When they were planning to publish the 1911 census, they released a few examples of how the populus had taken to writing their own censuses. I can't find them now, but they were along the lines of:

Female head of household - if I am not competent to vote, then I am not competent to fill this form in

Angry man - if you think I am answer these questions, think again - mind your own business!

I suspect that it's pretty much the same today.

[Mutley]

Though I was lucky enough to find one fellow who gave his life history. He scribbled all over the form with dates and names and even his wife's previous husband's details. His writing became smaller and smaller as he squashed into every available space, a bit more info.

How I wished he was mine. A complete tree on the page. Bless him, he was obviously hedging his bets. From one extreme to another!

The enumerators just collected the forms, whether they were or were not completed correctly.

[ellyjane70]

we do have reason to believe this assumed head of house may have deliberately left off this particular servant, but I have always gone straight to the name of the enumerator on censuses, sometimes finding one of mine-which is a bonus. Never found a female enumerator yet. I wish I would be here for the 2070-odd censuses when my sister's name will be down as enumerator.
Back to the 1911-going through this village where I live, we find the writing has been done in one hand which went against what we believed.

Thanks for the help everyone..

[Nicolina]

one site that I use listed some "strange" Census detail, including some-one who had entered their cat's name and for occupation - Mouse catcher.
As for future Censuses, I'll be hard to find as I never use my married name but one I changed to by Deed Poll.

[Peter Goodey]

The 1911 census was the first one not "written" by the enumerators, but by the household - probably the head, or at least the one who was literate.

This is incorrect.

The 1911 census is the first where the household schedules were preserved.

[pottoka]

Though I was lucky enough to find one fellow who gave his life history. He scribbled all over the form with dates and names and even his wife's previous husband's details. His writing became smaller and smaller as he squashed into every available space, a bit more info.

How I wished he was mine. A complete tree on the page. Bless him, he was obviously hedging his bets. From one extreme to another!

The enumerators just collected the forms, whether they were or were not completed correctly.

I would have liked to claim him, too, Mutley! Did you just come across him by accident?

What I like are the widows/widowers who put in the number of years of marriage and the number of children, even if the enumerator (or someone) crossed them out. It's just a bit more information.