Comments | peter1610: clerks to the left of them, census officers to the right. . . .

peter1610

clerks to the left of them, census officers to the right. . . .

Oct 14, 2009 21:24

It seems the Busby contempt for officialdom and our flair for idiocy goes back a long way.
My research shows a great uncle Fred Busby who, in the census of 1891 was a gardener in York but, in the census of 1901, had made the quantum leap to "Roughrider in the 17th Lancers". In the census of 1911 he had gone back to a more sedentary lifestyle as a ( Read more... )

Comments 16

ozdragonlady October 14 2009, 22:21:15 UTC

Why are you assuming that he was lying? Census were collected face to face, not as they are today. It would have been a lot more difficult to lie about your occupation than it is now. They were also collected by local people, who tended to know the people they were talking to. The population was a whole lot smaller than it is now, so it was more difficult to hide :)

If he lived in York, perhaps he was working in the stables breaking horses for the regiment. Or merely for the horse broker who was supplying them. He may simply have been working in the yards, mucking out, but he may not have been completely telling a lie.

And, in case you havent noticed, horses were used for everything in 1901. Owning one might be another thing, but they were everywhere, so he certainly would have come close to them :P. Couldnt even catch a bus without there being a horse at the front of it.

peter1610 October 14 2009, 22:53:38 UTC

well I'll do some more research but the 17th lancers were in South Africa in 1901, the second Boar War was full on that year, so why was GUF lounging about back in York? .. and why the 17th Lancers ?..they were a London regiment.. no, the only thing that makes sense is that he was taking the piss.

peter1610 October 14 2009, 23:05:28 UTC

ooops,typo... Boer.. boar is a wild pig, nothing like a south african ;-)

jdbuzz October 15 2009, 23:10:13 UTC

much

Thread 12

gruntsplatter October 16 2009, 03:03:33 UTC

16th October a little old fairy tells me your 54 today.

Who would have thought it, we all thought you would have been hanged by now!

How do we tell when your childish humor morphs into advancing senility?

Is there a difference?

peter1610 October 16 2009, 08:09:52 UTC

it blends into one..

(The comment has been removed)

peter1610 October 16 2009, 09:32:25 UTC

not too many chinese girls in yorkshire in 1911 i wouldn't think,no good for me :-)
the 1911 census is online now on a pay as you use basis ..
http://www.1911census.co.uk/

(The comment has been removed)

peter1610 October 16 2009, 10:29:10 UTC

just do a google search then..