Genealogy Chat

How unusual is it to have no head of Household? My great-great-great-grandmother is listed in 1851 census as 'daughter'... and she is living with a servant and a visitor. Ten years later, she is listed as living with her brothers only - still no parents....and mary becomes the Head of Household. Strangely enough, I do have one rcord of her father... his address is simply listed as 'Beach' and between 1838 and 1857 he is a painter and glazier (this from the trades directory). I'm asking if anyone has any experience of this, as I want to know if it is worth me looking further for her father in 1851...and maybe find her mother too. What i mean is... if nobody is listed as head of the household..how likely am I to find her father nearby? Any suggestions appreciated :) Thanks Sheleen. One thing...forgot to add that her mother is definately alive in 1851, as two years later she gave birth to Mary's brother (listed as 8 years old in the 1861 census)...also, there is another two families with the same name living within a few doors away (1861)- but none of these include Mary's father)

If he were a painter and decorator may be he travelled to jobs and mum went too. If no one is listed as head I would think he is still alive and the daughter felt she couldnt give her name as head even though if they were not there she would have been I guess. Interesting there is a 'visitor' - would that be someone there to keep her company while mum and dad are elsewhere? Who is the visitor - can you tie them in as a rellie or neighbour? Silly question perhaps - she isnt at the top or bottom of the census page is she? In which case you would have checked the previous and next pages? Let us have the names and details of mum and dad so people can have a look for you.

As Heather has said, check the previous and next page. For ages I was trying to work out where baby Butterworth fit in with my rellies, it actually turns out that he is the great grand son of the family above mine but has been listed under my rellies address.

lol... been at this a while now - and did check previous and next census pages - even though my Mary was listed slap bang in the middle :) Both the servant and the visitor are totally unrelated to Mary in the 1851 census... There is a definate line drawn both above and under the entry on the census. I just find it quite puzzling that the mother is nowhere to be found. I thought that maybe Mary's youngest brother may have been a half-brother... but no evidence either way. I also find it puzzling that her fathers residence is simply listed as 'Beach'... and yet Mary lives in a house. Hopefully this little mystery will start unravelling soon :)

Hi there. As Heather suggests, why don`t you give us some names and dates and we can help you search. Eileen

Maybe he went fishing??

Is 'Beach' by any chance a house name? Maybe at the time it was so well known in the area that the enumerator did not need to give any more of the address. Just a though, probably wrong!!!

Sorry Cha, wasnt being codescending about checking back and forwards - Ive been at this 2 years now and still I sometimes forget to do that. I used to do it every time I found someone at the top or bottom of a page but have got lax as time goes on. In which census did Dad appear simply as 'Beach'? (LOL, when I first read your message I imagined this romantic Victorian painter in smock and floppy hat painting seascapes! - then realised he was a painter glazier!!) I dont suppose mum and dad could both be in an infirmary or something at the time? Trouble is mostly shown as just initials arent they.

This ''Beach''.....what parish is it in?? Merry

He's in a trade directory and can afford a live in servant, so not quite the down and out I first considered. Have you looked at maps and enumeration district descriptions? How big is the house Mary is living in? What did it look like? Is it still there? Does 'Beach' mean just that? Did the father advertise over a long period of time? He might be sleeping off a drunken binge, or painting the pier. Have you looked at local newspapers, to see if he advertised there? The snag with censuses is that they are snapshots. Usually they are indicative of what our ancestors did every day, but occasionally they do something completely off the wall. Hope you locate the mother!

If his address is given as 'Beach' in the Trades Directory it doesn't necessarily mean that was where he lived, but where he could be found / contacted regarding his work. So it could be that he had an office or hut at the beach for his work. As for why no head of household on the census, it may well mean that the father did live at the house but was away from home that night. If he was in England or Wales he should be listed wherever he was, but if he was out of the country he won't be. Kate.