In a message dated 30/05/2007 15:54:56 GMT Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: Working my way through 1861 census for St. Nicholas and found this in occupation field. I am just curious - perhaps someone could enlighten me. I was born nearby so I know the Bede was important in the cathedral - was itn alms type of pension? Maureen Maureen: I note you entitle your message "Cedes woman ....." and then refer to Bede. That makes me think that perhaps the description is really "Bedeswoman". a Bedesman or a Bedeswoman was usually an occupant of Almshouses - ie one who lived on charity. However, I'm not at all sure how that would fit with Durham Cathedral, which has no Almshouses directly attached to it. It is possible, however - even likely - that close to the Cathedral, on Palace Green, there would have been such Almshouses. I wonder whether (although I have never heard about it from a contemporary source) her occupation of an Almshouse was dependent on her doing some job around the Cathedral - cleaning it, perhaps. Geoff Nicholson