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FENSOM, Kimpton, 19th Century April 2001 |
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This page has been archived - no further updates - see Mothballed Pages |
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PLEASE NOTE: When this question was asked the amount of information available online was very restricted and the only census available (on a CD) was the 1881 census. The answer given below should be carefully checked using the additional information now readily available online. |
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Extended posting to an answer given on ENG-HERTFORDSHIRE-L
Dawn Hodges (dawnhh @t btinternet.com) said I am searching for info on Bertram T FENSOME. He is possibly my Grandfather. Possibly as he died a few months before my Dad was born. Family info about him is scarce. I have him on the 1881 census at Vicarage Hill, Kimpton, Hertford
George Rolph Head Married 50 born Kimpton Gardener
Sarah Rolph Wife Married 50 ditto Gardener's Wife
Bertram T Fensom 12 ditto Scholar
Any ideas or info on why the ROLPHS
would be living with Bertram? Adoption?
There is a far more probable reason.
If you look at the census again you will find that the Rolph
family lived next door to Thomas Fensom, a 60 year old widower and agricultural
labourer and his unmarried 31 year old daughter Mary A Fensom
- a straw plaiter. Both were born in Kimpton.
A very likely situation would be that Bertram T. Fensom was Thomas's grandson (and maybe Mary A's illegitimate son). Assuming the cottages had two bedrooms it might well be most convenient for Bertram to stay with the next door neighbours - who would have a spare bedroom! Such an informal arrangement may be the reason why the census enumerator, unusually, did not record the relationship with the head of the household.
A check on familysearch will show you that both Thomas and Mary A. Fensom were baptised in the parish church at Kimpton - so there is a good chance that Bertram T Fensom was also baptised there. The registers have not yet been indexed by the Latter Day Saints but are at HALS, in Hertford, and the microfilms are also available through your nearest LDS Family History Centre - which can also get you the 1871 census microfilm for Kimpton - which could show Bertram with his parents. Alternatively you have sufficient information to order Bertram's birth certificate.
Dawn replied : Well Christopher, what can I say? Thank you seems so inadequate. I did not do the census search myself so had no idea another FENSOME was listed next door. Another loose end possibly tied up, at last. Thanks again.
Amanda Cassidy (amanda_cassidy @t ntlworld.com) added:
Further to Chris' reply to Dawn, HALS have the census index for Kimpton for 1891 and 1851. In 1891, there were 3 households containing FINSOME residents (none for FENSOME) -
5 Vicarage Hill - Mary Anne age 44, Straw Plaiter and Thomas age 73 Road Surveyor's labourer
Schedule number 95 (no address) - Arthur age 35, Groom; Arthur age 11, Ellen M age 5, Ernest age 13 Ag Lab, Louisa age 37 Straw Plaiter
Schedule number 97 (no address) - Alice age 4, Edward age 18 Ag Lab, James age 18 Ag Lab and Sarah age 39 Straw Plaiter.
I forgot to check for ROLPH but will do this when I next visit.
In 1851 there was only one family with a similar spelling which was FENSON at [58] Vicarage Hill - Christiana age 5, Frederick age 2, Mary age 31, Mary Ann age 3 and Thomas age 31.
Remember that these are only indexes so information such as relationships and place of birth are missing and you would be advised to consult the actual census entry to verify and add to the information.
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There are some lessons to be learnt about the accuracy of census and other data.
Thomas FENSON was 31 in 1851, Thomas FENSOM was 60 in 1881 and Thomas FINSOME was 73 in 1891. Mary Ann was 3, 31 and 43 on the same dates. This is actually quite good for a family in which the members might well be illiterate. You can also get variations in the place of birth which may be variations in spelling - or in one case the place may be a hamlet, and in another it may be the parish containing the hamlet.
