What do you think? Am I researching the wrong person?

[Bertieone]

1871 Scotland census, no image, allowing for transcription errors,

Thomas Davenport, bn 1829, Liverpool, (Lanarkshire?) Fireman,
Strombeli? Vessels ED, page 21, line 15, Roll cssct1871-191.
Registration district, Glasgow.

On the 1861 and 1871 census this man has appeared on the ships census, unlikely to be the same man who married Rebecca me thinks.



Bert

[simone]

Nice find Bert

[iaindavenport]

Thanks Bert, I have that census return.
Care to explain why you think this is a different Thomas? As a fireman Thomas would have been frequently at sea. I know from the crew lists of the Stromboli that a Fireman would sign-up for periods of between 6 and 12 months for multiple voyages. The Stromboli was engaged in coastal work between Liverpool and Le Havre and a number of British ports, the average journey was 4 days. This would mean that Thomas though frequently at sea would return to Liverpool on average every 4 days with a couple of days layover. Plenty of time to marry Rebecca (both his marriages where at St Nicholas by the pier head - sailors church).

Furthermore, if the head of the house was not home when the census was taken what would they write down? Do you know? Seems logical to me that the head of the house would be recorded whether or not they where home.

Anyway this is exactly why I am looking for other members opinions.

Cheers!
Iain

[alcavtay]

In the census returns that were filled in by an enumerator (1841-1901) they were only to list the people at home. My gt-grandfather was a sailor and for most of the censuses his wife was enumerated as the head, sometimes in the space for her occupation they wrote 'husband at sea'.

Personally, if I found a person on 2 returns for the same year I would assume there were 2 people with the same name.

Amanda

[Bertieone]

Hi Iain,

as above, as Amanda has posted, also Thomas has been very consistent with his place of birth, Clifton, why the sudden change because he's on a ship?



Bert

[iaindavenport]

All very good points, I didn't know about the census rules. The place of birth on the ships logs are always vague and vary from voyage to voyage.

The thing that keeps me grasping at straws is the number of coincidences: 1861 on board ship yes but 10 minutes walk from his house, all his family born and christened in Woolton, age is the same, name is the same, profession the same. And as I said I can find no other Thomas Davenport born in Woolton around 1829. But I guess its just wishful thinking time to give up and move on.

Thank you all for your help.

[iaindavenport]

One last request: can anyone find a Thomas Devenport/Devonport born +/-1829 in Woolton, Lancashire, married before 1861 and had the profession of Fireman. Perhaps if a plausible substitute could be found I could let this one lie. I have tried the 1851, 1881 and 1891 census records and DMD's but with no luck nothing even vaguely similar.

Thanks Iain

[Blue70]

I would be careful about the place of birth for a person away on a vessel. The place of birth might actually refer to where they lived. Home and place of birth can get confused on records of vessels.

Blue

[MaryA]

A person should be enumerated wherever he is on the appropriate day. If he wasn't at home he shouldn't be listed there, of course that's not to say it always happened that way.

I'm always suspicious when somebody is enumerated away from home, such as in this case, on a ship, I don't always take for granted that the correct age or birthplace is given as we don't know that the person who completed the form knew the accurate details.

[iaindavenport]

Thank you Mary,
Maybe I should mention that I have the crew records for the Stromboli that cover more than 30 voyages over 5 years all of which record Thomas Davenport as being in the crew. Thomas's details (dob etc) are suprisingly consistant.