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The 1841 census for England and Wales (Piece number 1208, Book number 8, Folio number 26, Page number 2) has a John Wright aged 11 at Coventry Street, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, England. He is shown as being in a household on his own; the other household in the same property is that of Edward Harper a Publican.

Can I infer anything about John from this census record other than his name, approximate date of birth and county of birth? What circumstances might lead to an 11 year old appearing in the census in this way?

1841 census image

  • I'm not convinced the age is 11. Perhaps worth seeing if images on any other site are any clearer. – Harry V. Aug 06 '18 at 15:11
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    @HarryVervet FMP Ancestry MyHeritage and TheGenealogist all agree on 11 -- have changed the image for one from TheGenealogist which is clearer. –  Aug 06 '18 at 15:22
  • I have a similar entry for 9yo Wm Rowe (who I think must be my 2nd great grandfather William Henry Rouse) in the 1841 Census at Truro St Mary. Like yours he seems to be separated from the preceding household (of his aunt) by a single rather than double line. See image at https://genealogy.stackexchange.com/questions/6606/when-where-and-to-whom-was-william-henry-rouse-born-in-about-1832-near-truro-o – PolyGeo Aug 06 '18 at 21:41
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    Purely speculatively, I'd think that John was either staying with the Harpers, or that his family was lodging in the same building but his parent(s) were absent when the census was taken. I'm struggling to think of a way of testing that, though. – AndyW Aug 09 '18 at 10:45
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    @PolyGeo I was wondering about nephew of grandson. Maybe a nurse child. Too late a date for Outdoor Relief. –  Aug 09 '18 at 10:53
  • I had not heard of Outdoor Relief before but just read about it at http://www.workhouses.org.uk/gco/outdoorreliefprohibitoryintro.shtml which says a General Order prohibited it a few months after 1841 Census but that it was "previously issued as a Special order to various individual unions". – PolyGeo Aug 09 '18 at 10:59
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    @PolyGeo see also http://www.workhouses.org.uk/poorlaws/newpoorlaw.shtml#Outdoor –  Aug 09 '18 at 11:02

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