For general information see
Introduction to Census Returns

The Exploring Family History Tutorial

The 1901 Census

Midnight Sun/Mon 31st March/1st April 1901

We know from the Bible that
Gladys Florence Lewin Horwood born Oct 21st 1891

Task: Find her in the 1901 census

The 1901 census is online and accessible on the 1901census and Ancestry web sites. A search is made of the 1901 England census using Ancestry - which is to be preferred if you already have an Ancestry subscription.

First Name Gladys
Last Name Horwood
Birth Year 1891

This produces a list of entries the first four being:

Name Birth Birthplace Relationship Civil Parish County
Gladys Horwood ~1892 Clerkenwell Daughter Clerkenwell London
Gladys Horwood ~1894 Aston Clinton Daughter Aston Clinton Buckinghamshire
Gladys Horwood ~1894 Isle of Ely, Littleport Daughter West Welney Norfolk
Gladys Horwood ~1897 Kilburn, Middlesex Daugjter Willesden Middlesex

The first appears the best fit - so the page is selected to get further information.

Zooming in on the detail we see:

This shows the following household living at:

10 Chadwell Street, Clerkenwell (in the parish of St Mark's)

Thos Horwood Head Married 38 Gold Jewellers Foreman City of London
Florence Horwood Wife Married 34 Gold Jewellers Polisher St Lukes, London
Gladys Horwood Daughter Single 9   Clerkenwell, London
Lily Horwood Daughter Single 7   Clerkenwell, London
Eliza Kery Sister in Law Single 43 Dom Housekeeper Clerkenwell, London

Three points to note:

For examples of transcription errors in the 1901 census see My Ancestors in the 1901 Census.

The name "Lily" is correctly transcribed from the microfilm - but should be "Ivy" - and is probably a transcription error by the census enumerator when the census was taken in 1901.  ("Ivy" is confirmed by reference to the birth registration on findmypast).

The name "Kery" is how the item is indexed - but the name is unclear. If you look at the entry in the Bible in 1896 you may find it helps you to come up with a better interpretation. Eliza will be identified in a later tutorial.

The words in italics were added to the return to provide a more accurate description of the occupation. Dom is short for Domestic.

Result of Investigation

The census return fits reasonably well with what is known about Gladys from the bible. It provides significant additional information in the form of a residential address in 1901, the occupation, age and place of birth of her parents, and the existence of an aunt.

[Apart from the difference noted, the information found agrees with, and extends, the information given in the bible (view)]

 

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Page created November 2005