In a message dated 25/06/2007 08:50:44 GMT Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: Assuming she informed the 1841 census enumerator that she was 39 yrs of age _______________________________________________________________ To be strictly accurate the enumerator was not 'informed', in 1841 each household was given a schedule to fill in. The Householders were instructed to write in figures the age of every person, opposite to their names, in one of the columns headed 'Age of Males' or 'Age of Females' according to their sex. "For persons aged 15 Years and upwards it is sufficient to state within what period of five years their age is, writing down the lowest number of that period: thus, for persons aged 15 and under 20, write 15- for 20 and under 25, write 20- for 25 and under 30 write 25- for 30 and under 35 write 30-, and so on up to the greatest age; but the exact age may be stated if the person prefers it. For persons under 15, write the number of years; for infants under one year the number of months." Ages reported in the census must be regarded as only a rough approximation of fact, many people had only an approximate idea of their date of birth, and in some cases there may have been temptations to give incorrect information. It has also been reported in one study that there appears to a rather high coincidence between the ages of husband and wife. Regards Stan Mapstone