1881 census question

[spirale]

Hi there. I am doing some research into my ancestors and am trying to find out more about my great-grandfather (Owen Roe) on the 1881 census. Being born in 1862 I presume he would be there but he is not and I have managed to find him on the 1871, 1891 and 1901 census. I am specifically interested in the 1881 census as there is more information available for free then on the other censuses. Could there be a reason for this like a protest or another reason? I find it unusual that he is listed on censuses before and after 1881 but not on that census itself.
Any help is much appreciated, thanks :)

[Rollo]

One reason could be he was not in England and Wales on census day.

Or whoever completed the return left him off because he was not in the household that day, thinking somebody else would include him if he was elsewhere.

Or he got forgotten.

Or, as you say, he deliberately absented himself.

[Rollo]

Or there is a spelling mistake in the transcription. That's not too uncommon I'm afraid.

[carrot99]

this is the only Roe (and even then it's spelled Rowe) from the 1881 census on the LDS website in case you haven't checked the site

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=census/search_census.asp />
Owen Rowe
Birthplace Ireland
Age 19
Occupation Coal Miner
Marital Status U
Head of Household John ROWE
Relation Son

Dwelling 21 Beast Market Tiger Inn
Census Place Wrexham Regis, Denbigh, Wales

John ROWE Head M Male 43 born Ireland Blacksmith
Honor ROWE Wife M Female 39 Ireland
Edward ROWE Son U Male 21 Ireland Coal Miner
Owen ROWE Son U Male 19 Ireland Coal Miner
James ROWE Son U Male 16 Brymbo, Denbigh, Wales Grocer Assistant
Alice ROWE Daur Female 10 Wrexham, Denbigh, Wales Scholar
Mary ROWE Daur Female 8 Wrexham, Denbigh, Wales Scholar
Catherin ROWE Daur Female 6 Wrexham, Denbigh, Wales Scholar
John ROWE Son Male 4 Wrexham, Denbigh, Wales
Honor ROWE Daur Female 5 m Wrexham, Denbigh, Wales

[carrot99]

the website address is

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=census/search_census.asp

[dothawkes31]

Find My Past have commissioned and now completed a complete re-transcribing of the 1881 census. The one you see for free is the one carried out by volunteers in the earlt 1990s, i was one of the regional co-ordinators and I know the quality of the checkers varied, and the actual transcribers were sometimes new to the hobby, as each piece was handed out through family history society groups to be transcribed.
If you can look at the newly released Find My Past version you may have more luck.

there were very few exclusions of actual returns in 1881, 1851 returns have been notoriously damaged in some city archives.

What was his place of birth and who did you expect to find him living with in 1881, what was his occupation?

[spirale]

First of all thank you very much for all your comments. That search listing you found, carrot, is not a relative of mine as my great-granddad was born in Cambridge; in response to dot's question. According to the 1901 census free search he was a furniture dealer which I didn't know but I have no idea of his whereabouts or who he lived with in 1881. The only relatives I have managed to find of his was his wife whom he married in 1888 but I doubt they would be in a relationship in 1881 as she was only 11 at the time! Also, as Rollo said it was possible he was abroad but I don't know for sure obviously.

I think the most likely cause of loss is as dot said about the damage of some archives or a spelling mistake. Anyway, thank you very much once again for all your posts :)

[Mr Veritas]

I agree with Rollo,
I have been reasarching a family called paNNiers,but they didn't appear in the 1911 census.
Someone told me they were listed as paMMiers,and indeed they were.
Mistakes do happen,even on things as august as the census!

[dothawkes31]

1881 census Private House in the Meadows, Census Place Grantchester, Cambridge, England

name Relation Marital Status Gender Age Birthplace Occupation Disability
Owen ROE Head M Male 44 Ipswich, Suffolk, England Furniture Broker
Jane ROE Wife M Female 44 St. Notes, Huntingdon, England Brokers Wife
Joseph ROE Son U Male 21 St. Ives, Huntingdon, England Brokers Assistant
Roger ROE Son U Male 17 Cambridge, England Brokers Assistant
Gilbert ROE Son Male 14 Cambridge, England Scholar
Emma ROE Daughter Female 7 Cambridge, England Scholar
Marrian ROE Daughter Female 5 Cambridge, England Scholar
Susan HARVEY Sister in Law U Female 32 St. Ives, Huntingdon, England ((Household Assistant))
Charles HARVEY Nephew Male 14 St. Ives, Huntingdon, England (D) Gardener

Source Information:
Dwelling Private House in the Meadows
Census Place Grantchester, Cambridge, England
Family History Library Film 1341397
Public Records Office Reference RG11
Piece / Folio 1663 / 64
Page Number 25

This is looking like the right family. there could be an Owen between Roger and Joseph. The name is right and the occupation and the birthplace. I will check the rest of that piece for you

[dothawkes31]

I've looked through the whole village and the only other Roe was kAlfred George Roe, lodge with Samiel Strickland aged 35 booksellers assistant, b St Botolph parish cambridge

looks like owen Roe married a Jane harvey (see the sister-in-law)but their marriage is not showing in any county on the IGI

[dothawkes31]

Owen Roe (snr) was baptised 5th Feb 1837 at St Helens Opswich Suffolk son of joseph and mahala Roe

[dothawkes31]

sorry Ipswich

[spirale]

Thank you for looking through for that information. So Owen Roe was presumably in-between Joseph and Roger Roe and his parents were Jane Roe and Owen Roe (Senior) would therefore be my great-great grandparents. I think I actually remember seeing Owen Roe born in 1837 (my great great grandfather) on earlier census searches. This is interesting though as Owen Roe's (my great grandfather) first son was also called Owen Roe (my great uncle)

As for your point Mr Veritas, I was thinking there could also be a spelling mistake for my great grandfather as in your case, as Rollo said earlier. But, it seems like he is definelty not on the census for whatever reason.

[spirale]

Also, how would Susan Harvey and Charles Harvey be a relation, it says she was a household assistant but it also says she was a sister in law so would she be a spouse of one of Owen Roe's brother's or just someone employed to work in the house because it says household assistant?

[dothawkes31]

Susan Harvey is Owen Roe's sister-in-law, therefore his wife Jane's sister, which makes Jane's maiden name Harvey, because Susan is recorded as unmarried, the boy Charles must be Susan's illegiyimate son as he is shown as Owen's nephew, Jane 's birthplace is misspelt it should say St Neots, which is all part of Huntingdon as is St Ives.
Susan was probably employed to help Jane in the house, they probably lived behind the furniture shop, if you look through the rest of that census district, there are lots of wood workers and related trades too.

[dothawkes31]

There is another Joseph Roe here:
Household Record 1881 British Census

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Household:

Name Relation Marital Status Gender Age Birthplace Occupation Disability
Joseph ROE Head M Male 56 Ipswich, Suffolk, England No Occupation
Susan ROE Wife M Female 60 Ipswich, Suffolk, England No Occupation
Annie ROE Daur Female 21 Godalming, Surrey, England No Occupation
Elizabeth SILLETT Servant Female 18 Debenham, Surrey, England General Ser

I would think this is Owen Roe Snr's older Brother Joseph.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source Information:
Dwelling S Helens St Park House
Census Place Ipswich St Helen, Suffolk, England
Family History Library Film 1341453
Public Records Office Reference RG11
Piece / Folio 1877 / 83
Page Number 18

[dothawkes31]

I've found the baptisms for Owen and Jane Roe's children
Joseph Roe was baptised aged 14 at All Saints Cambridge on 18 Nov 1874.
Also found the baptism of Joseph Rowe, Owen snr's brother, he was baptised Joseph Adolphus Roe, 19 August 1821 St helens Ipswich son of Joseph and Mahalah Roe. (he's the one on the 1881 census above married to Susan

[dothawkes31]

Joseph Roe married Mahalah Fisk, 4 may 1818 at St Clement Ipswich

[dothawkes31]

Owen George Roe baptised 18 Nov 1874 All Saints Cambridge (this is your missing Owen)
Gilbert Roe baptised 18 Nov 1874 All saints Cambridge (same day as his older brothers Owen and Joseph)
Roger Roe baptised 18 Nov 1874 All Saints Cambridge (ditto)
Emma Roe baptised 18 Nov 1874 All Saints Cambridge (ditto)

[dothawkes31]

In cases like this where a whole family of children are baptised at the same time, it tends to mean that they were originally non-conformists, but as they come to want to marry, they need to be baptised into the Church of England, either that, or owen and Jane decided to have them all done at the same time when Emma came along in
1874, they probably didn't expect Marian to appear a couple of years later.

[dothawkes31]

Oh BTW Owen George's age at baptism is given as 10. so on the 1881 census he will be 16 probably as the census was taken in the spring of 1881 and he was 10 in the autumn of 1874. This actually makes him born 1863/4 too possibly.