Genealogy Chat

hmmmm spose there arent many dressmakers that have a night shift unless they constantly have that many orders there are always offering overtime? hehehehee Although just because they were at home with parents with mum and dad doesnt mean they lived there does it? If it was a child would it distinguish of visitor over son or dauhger? And is there anyway of finding address between census years?

Most of my Dressmakers, were living at home with their parents,so dont think they could have been'on the game'. Some had - Shirt makers beside dressmakers. Or Needlewomen then shirt makers. Had a tambour worker, which is embroidery done on a tambour drum kind of implement.

I dont think we should all leap to the conclusion all our dressmakers and laundresses were on the game. They were just very common occupations and I spose a bit like a prostitute now saying she was a secretary or a receptionist. So dont all think gran was a fallen woman.

Ah.....well my 3x great granny had 6 illegitimate children and no census records or parish record records her employment! I like to imagine that she was a kept woman of the local lord of the manor.........but I don't think it's likely!!! Having said that I am still exploring the possibility that she was a Romany co-wife. That would make it respectable I suppose. Sue

oh dear! And I promissed my Nana that I didnt have anymore surprises in the family tree after taking her her parents marriage certificate the other week to find that her dad had already been married before! Hmmmm - Im sure she'll find it interesting though Thanks for the useful insight - any more creative terms? The cheeky so and sos lol :oD

oh my god! I have a fair few dressmakers in my family!!! Some with illegitimate children!!!! Thank you for that, my tired eyes must be playing tricks on me!

Me too Rebecca LOL I have heard that Laundress is another term they used. I've got them too. :))) Sue

From that site.......down the page. Definition Of Terms Used On Census Returns England & Wales 1841-1891 Annuitant ~ The term annuitant could describe someone on an annual allowance as well as someone receiving annual income from an investment. Often however, it was also used for institutionalized pensioners. Boarder ~ a person who shares the dinner table with the family. Lodger ~ a person who has separate accomodation to the householder. Lunatic ~ a mentally ill person with periods of lucidity. Imbecile ~ persons who have fallen in later life into a state of chronic dementia. Idiot ~ persons who suffer from congenital mental deficiency. Scholar ~ from 1861 onwards a child was described as a scholar if he/she was over 5 and receiving daily schooling or regular tuition at home. There was no definition of the latter. In 1871 the census officials in London broke the confidentiality pledge and divulged the names of all children 3-13 and their parents (with addresses) to the London School Board to help enforce compulsory education. Dressmaker ~ the occupation of 'dressmaker' was commonly given by prostitutes. In-Law ~ terms such as Brother and Brother-in-Law were used interchangeably and somewhat unreliably. Likewise Sister and Sister-in-Law. Sue

I've had a quick look but I cant find anything to do with that word, just abbreviations. I googled it and it comes up with mental retardation giving subject mental capacity of a young child. capable of simple tasks under supervision. Im guessing he must have had some sort of accident or illness that left him in that state, poor man.

This might help. It has terms as used in censuses. Remove brackets http://homepage.ntlworld(.)com/hitch/gendocs/abbrcen.html Sue

not very PC but one of my rellies is described as an imbecile for 8 years on the 1891 Census - could this be for a wide variety of issues covered by this term or anything more specific? He was 60 at the time and there were living on a farm (he still shows as a farmer even though they have noted that he is an imbecile) with 1 servant. Thank you R x