A Genealogy Hunt

22 September 2009

Afternoon,

At times I feel like Cervantes' Don Quixote and my elusive ancestors are my windmills. Am I tilting at windmills? But... my windmills are not imaginary... just at times, difficult to pin down.

(Illustration 6 for Miguel de Cervantes' Don Quixote by Gustave Doré. 1863)

Just a note, I've made some minor changes to my Blog page. The "Search This Blog" box is now at the upper left. I reconfigured the "Surname Labels" and the "Blog Archive" links to free up some space and help with navigation. I have removed the "Reference Library" for now. Also, I have added a "Quilts by esSBee" section. This new section allows you to see a quick overview of thumbnails of the quilts that we have posted. Check them out.

The next appearance in my genealogical research of the Robertson family and of great-grandaunt Agnes is as a 10-year old in the 1851 Census at 10 Parr St., in Shoreditch, England.

I'm following up to Part 69r.

She is registered as a "Scholar", as is her five year-old brother, great-granduncle William. Per John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazeteer of England and Wales (1870-72), there were 195 schools in 1851, in Shoreditch. And that would be quite a search, whether it be for 40 windmills or the proverbial "needle in a haystack".

But the problem here, 10 years later, is that the 1851 Census has her mother Margaret's birth place entered differently as it was in the 1841 Census; Warrington, in Yorkshire versus North Shields, in Tynemouth, Northumberland.

Well Warrington is in Yorkshire which is about 190 miles or 305.8 kms away from North Shields in Northumberland, and that would be one heck of a mistake by the enumerator(s) or something definitely is different. (See the inserted map. The Marker A is at Tynemouth and the Marker B is at Warrington.)

And does that mean that there could be two Margarets? And not only am I perplexed by two possible Margarets, there is the definite entry of great-grandaunt Agnes' elder sister, great-grandaunt Margaret A. or Margaret Ann, in the 1851 and 1841 Censuses, respectively. (See Part 69r.)

The 1851 Census had also increased the family members by one, great-granduncle William. His birth year can be approximated to 1846 and the place where he was born is listed as Liverpool.

Please note, that in keeping with the discussion of great-great-grandfather John's occupation in Part 70r his occupation is now listed as "Iron Founder".

I'll put it on hold right here. Next entry - Great-grandaunt Agnes at 20 years. Also check out Q6 for the posting of the Old Albert quilt.

Enjoy the evening. I'm trying Portuguese Caldo Verde.

Jim