census birthplace

[pwholt]

Please can some experienced readers help with a birthplace from the 1861 census. The reference is RG9/1294 f.131 p.15. It overs Melksham, Wiltshire. The entry is number 84, George Holley who seems to have been born in Compton Somerset, but which one? He isn't indexed correctly; I had to find him the hard way, by searching through the whole town (going the wrong direction, of course). In 1841 he claims a Wiltshire birthplace, and in 1851 and 1871 it is given as Compton Martin, Somerset. However, this suffix doesn't look like Martin to me. Suggestion, please. pwholt

[arthurk]

It looks to me like Compton Basset; Ancestry have indexed it as Compton Bassett, and I admit that could have influenced my reading of it.

As I'm sure you know, from your location, Compton Bassett is in Wiltshire, and not too far from Melksham, so possibly the enumerator got carried away... (And I believe the surname Holley is found in the north Mendips area of Somerset.)

Arthur