Scottish Census

[PhilBurtt]

Purley by chance, I found my GGGrandfather and family in Scotland on the 1861 census - however GGGdad, Wiliam Pigot and his wife Fanny Pigot were in Aberdeen but the children were in Glasgow. The children were at the home of a Mrs McDuff and on the line above thier names it said "parents ???? home" and the childrens relationship's were given as to thier parents not to the head of the household. Has any one any idea what the ???? might be? I also noticed that the census form asks "how many rooms with 1 or more windows" and wonderd if any one knew why this was asked?
Many Thanks
Member No 8158

[dickiesam]

Hi,
Re:

I also noticed that the census form asks "how many rooms with 1 or more windows" and wonderd if any one knew why this was asked?

I'd say this might have something to do with the 'Window Tax'. See here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Window_tax

Regarding that entry on the Scots' 1861 census '"parents ???? home", because some of us don't have easy access to the Scots' censuses could you scan the census page and crop to the relevant section then post the image here so we have it in context with all the detail shown.

Dickiesam

[kwr]

The same question was asked all the way through up and including 1911. Essentially it was because social and sanitary reform had been developing as a movement especially from the 1830s and 1840s.

Ken

[MaryA]

As Dickiesam asks it would be interesting to see the image, many of us haven't ever seen an original.

I have come across something that sounds a little similar before, could it be that Mrs McDuff was "babysitting" while parents were away from home, but the house may have been their own so that was why the relationship was given correctly to their parents as if they had been there.

[MaryA]

Moved so as not to confuse the issue with Warrington.

[PhilBurtt]

Thanks for your responses - I have scanned the census and saved in my documents but don't know how to post it for you to see - advice please - not very computer literate though! GGGparents were listed as Lodgers in Aberdeen not just visitors.

[MaryA]

Instructions here
http://liverpool-genealogy.org.uk/phpBB ... php?t=9817

[PhilBurtt]

Thanks Mary - I have put the part of the census concerned here. As you can see, writing is not very clear. Scottish census forms are the same as English and I got the web site from the July edition of our magazine.
Thanks - Phil

[dickiesam]

Hi,
I think the enumerator's notation could be 'Parents a/from home' = Parents away from home.

Quite unusual but probably to explain the change of surname in the household and justify he/she entering the children as 'Son' and 'Dau' of the missing parents. The children could be related to the head of household in some way because Elizabeth is shown as 'Niece', but again could be a niece of the missing parents. Possibly a very conscientious and precise enumerator.

Thoughts?

DS

[Hilary]

I wonder if it's a shared house. There appears to be a single doagonal line after JaneArchibald and another after Elizabeth

A single diagonal line usually denotes another family within a house. A double diagonal line denoting a new dwelling.

[MaryA]

I wonder if it's a shared house. There appears to be a single doagonal line after JaneArchibald and another after Elizabeth

I thought the same, the Pigots appear to be dwelling in the same house/building as the McDuffs, but are not part of their family. As I said above, I have come across this before and the relationships have been to the usual Head of the household.

[PhilBurtt]

Many thanks all - learn something new every day