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Mistake on 1911 Irish census?

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ProfilePosted byOptionsPost Date

HeyJudeB4Beatles

HeyJudeB4Beatles Report 3 Mar 2026 14:05

ArgyllGran

How weird indeed?!!!!

Decided to register with GRONI and looked at the online certificate. As you say 292 is typed in rather than hand written. And all details seem to be same except for Sarah F and Samuel M........but I don't think they are the same entries. Compare Car Dealer....they don't look to be the same :-S :-S :-S

Jude

ArgyllGran

ArgyllGran Report 3 Mar 2026 14:59

I assume that the one with the printed number is the original, and the other one is a handwritten copy, with serious mistakes.

In fact, now that I look at it again, the page on which the "Samuel" one is found does say at the bottom "I certify . . . . . . that this is a true copy of the Registrar's Book of Births . . .".

Definitely a mistake by H D Osborne, the Registrar!

HeyJudeB4Beatles

HeyJudeB4Beatles Report 3 Mar 2026 18:45

Explains why there are differences in some of the handwriting!

So, nowadays, that would have very serious repercussions because it is the registrars book of births that is sacrosanct. I read of someone, born a girl, married with five children that she had given birth to and with a birth certificate that said she was a girl....applied for a copy of her birth certificate to find the registrar had recorded her as a boy in the Registrar's book. Can't get a new passport, has been told her marriage is invalid and that when she dies it will say she is male!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jude

ArgyllGran

ArgyllGran Report 5 Mar 2026 10:52

Incidentally, I've found other confusions with this family and wider relations.

Just for interest -
One of OH's gr-grandfather's brothers was called Arthur.
On the 1911 census he's listed as Martha, a daughter!

I suspect this is because of the enumerator's hearing, and their mother's poor level of literacy. In 1901 she's listed as "cannot read".
Although she ostensibly signed the 1911 form, and is listed as "can read & write", I suspect that was only at a very basic level, and that she didn't read what had been entered on the form, but just signed where she was told to.
The enumerator must have filled in the form for her, and misheard Arthur's name.

I have also just discovered that Arthur married his mother's previous husband's sister's daughter.
All very complicated, and not helped by inaccurate records!

ErikaH

ErikaH Report 5 Mar 2026 12:47

The joys of FH ;-) ;-)

HeyJudeB4Beatles

HeyJudeB4Beatles Report 5 Mar 2026 14:17

Indeed ErikaH! But that why it is so satisfying to put a puzzle together successfully even though inaccuracies try their very best to stymie us!

ArgyllGran

ArgyllGran Report 5 Mar 2026 14:21

Very satisfying indeed!
In this instance, especially the eureka moment when I found Arthur's wife's emigration record (she and Arthur emigrated to Canada) which gave her father's name and address and I realised who she was, having previously researched her parents and siblings!

ErikaH

ErikaH Report 5 Mar 2026 15:19

It's only the most tenacious of us who 'get there' unfortunately - so many are prepared to settle for what they 'think' is corrrect

Gwyn in Kent

Gwyn in Kent Report 6 Mar 2026 09:36

Well done.

It is the searching which keeps us interested in FH, but those inaccurate records do present some challenges :-0

I have several certificates bought to clarify matters, which have in fact muddied the waters and posed more questions.
Some are still unresolved, after many years, others have been helped by living family members who knew the truth.

Poor hearing and poor interpretation of an original record have a lot to answer for too ;-)

HeyJudeB4Beatles

HeyJudeB4Beatles Report 6 Mar 2026 14:08

Too true ErikaH! I despair at the hints I get especially other family trees. Following like sheep is very apt. The number of times I see people posted as deceased when they are alive twenty years later :-0

I get embarrassed sometimes about how many certificates I have bought since I started doing this twenty or so years ago.... ;-)