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age difference

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Kathlyn

Kathlyn Report 3 Nov 2005 16:43

I have accessed the 1901 census and found the following problem.... On the page that shows other household members Elsie is down as being born abt 1898 but on the actual written census she is down as 3 months old... suggestions please. Kathlyn

Sam

Sam Report 3 Nov 2005 16:44

I would think that the person who transcribed for Ancestry simply saw it as 3 years old and missed the 'months' part. Sam x

☼ Orangeblossom ☼ - Tracy

☼ Orangeblossom ☼ - Tracy Report 3 Nov 2005 16:48

Very common mistake. I have one 11mths, but transcribed as 11yrs.

Kathlyn

Kathlyn Report 3 Nov 2005 16:49

Thanks Sam, that could well be the answer, and bearing in mind there are many 'strikes' crossing the entries, that could well be the case kathlyn

Kathlyn

Kathlyn Report 3 Nov 2005 16:51

Someone did say that this hobby was a minefield, it sure is. Thanks for your replies kathlyn

hallyally

hallyally Report 3 Nov 2005 17:15

Yes Kathlyn! My Grandad had ten years added to his age when someone put a large tick next to his age (3 yrs) making him 13! cheers Allie

Judith

Judith Report 3 Nov 2005 18:25

I do wish the online census sites would just list the age shown on the original census documents and leave it to us to decide what year of birth that would be. Even when they don't mix up years and months they simply subtract the age from the census year, when in fact an age of eg 3 in 1901 means a birth date anywhere between 1st April 1897 and 31st March 1898 - ie more likely to be 1897 than 1898 that's always assuming the age given was truthful in the first place:-)

Christine in Herts

Christine in Herts Report 4 Nov 2005 12:30

I was thinking about them, yesterday, just putting the age down instead of the estimated birth year - but I suppose it is easier to compare birth-years from census to census than ages. Or it would be if people didn't keep changing their minds about their ages! Christine

Phoenix

Phoenix Report 4 Nov 2005 13:21

There's at least one satisfied customer out there. I was in the FRC once when a young man asked if anyone had a calculator, so he could work out year of birth. And if I had a penny for each time I've forgotten whether I'm in RG9, 10, 11 etc and got the age ten years out, I'd be a rich woman.