> No - she may have developed deafness as a result of noise at work - there > were no laws regarding noise levels in the Victorian era, and the dumbness > may be a result of being unable to hear questions directed at her. Hello again, Thanks to everyone who told me Sally is a nickname for Sarah; I never knew that. It's surprising really because Sally isn't really any shorter than Sarah; I thought the purpose of a nickname was to abbreviate? I can see how someone working with heavy machinery could become deaf but in the earlier censuses Sarah's husband was a silversmith and I can't see that she ever worked, so is it unlikely that she would have become deaf through noise at work? Would silversmiths make a lot of noise? I see that her husband (Richard) passed away after the 1871 census. In 1881 there is a Sally at the workhouse but she is listed as "married" rather than widowed. It also states she was born in Swan village, Stafford, whereas my Sally in the earlier censuses was always listed as being born in Birmingham. Does this mean it is unlikely to be my Sally? In the 1891 census there is a Sally born in Birmingham listed as a patient at the workhouse. This is the entry marked deaf and dumb. It is not a tick in the column but the explicit words "deaf and dumb" so it cannot be a mistake by the enumerator. It also says her marriage is "unknown" presumably because she could not answer the question. What standard of living would a silversmith have? Is it likely that a silversmith's widow would have to go to the workhouse? I just assumed that silver being a precious metal that people in that trade would have a comfortable living? Thanks, Stephen.

On 01 Jul, Stephen <[email protected]> wrote: > I see that her husband (Richard) passed away after the 1871 census. In > 1881 there is a Sally at the workhouse but she is listed as "married" > rather than widowed. It also states she was born in Swan village, > Stafford, whereas my Sally in the earlier censuses was always listed > as being born in Birmingham. Does this mean it is unlikely to be my > Sally? Swan Village is not that far from Birmingham. When you look at the map don't look at Stafford. Swan Village is in modern day Sandwell (I think - boundaries danced merrily over the years between Birmingham and Black Country and counties...) > In the 1891 census there is a Sally born in Birmingham listed as a > patient at the workhouse. This is the entry marked deaf and dumb. It > is not a tick in the column but the explicit words "deaf and dumb" so > it cannot be a mistake by the enumerator. It also says her marriage is > "unknown" presumably because she could not answer the question. > What standard of living would a silversmith have? Is it likely that a > silversmith's widow would have to go to the workhouse? I just assumed > that silver being a precious metal that people in that trade would > have a comfortable living? Don't forget that there were no pensions or welfare state in those days, and the workhouse was the only place for a disabled person to go, after all if she was deaf and dumb she couldn't easily work. If her husband hadn't taken out an annuity - or if he had and she had outlived it - then off to the workhouse it was. > Thanks, > Stephen. -- Chris Pampling researching: BARRATT, DANCER, FELLOWS, GOODES, HOLDING, ROBINSON, TUCKLEY, WHEWAY, MAHER all in and around Birmingham/Smethwick, 1850 to present day PAMPLING Cambridgeshire - Sheffield, 1800 to present VARNDELL Wokingham - Birmingham, 1800 to present

Have you tried searching the census using just initials? You might find that she was in an institution where the age and place of birth is correct and often the occupation but her full name is not recorded. If you find a likely entry at, for example, Birmingham Asylum you may be able to get Admission Papers Creed Papers Discharge Records Patient Records Cheers Marlene Stephen wrote: >> No - she may have developed deafness as a result of noise at work - there >> were no laws regarding noise levels in the Victorian era, and the dumbness >> may be a result of being unable to hear questions directed at her. >> > > Hello again, > > Thanks to everyone who told me Sally is a nickname for Sarah; I never > knew that. It's surprising really because Sally isn't really any > shorter than Sarah; I thought the purpose of a nickname was to > abbreviate? > > I can see how someone working with heavy machinery could become deaf > but in the earlier censuses Sarah's husband was a silversmith and I > can't see that she ever worked, so is it unlikely that she would have > become deaf through noise at work? Would silversmiths make a lot of noise? > > I see that her husband (Richard) passed away after the 1871 census. In > 1881 there is a Sally at the workhouse but she is listed as "married" > rather than widowed. It also states she was born in Swan village, > Stafford, whereas my Sally in the earlier censuses was always listed > as being born in Birmingham. Does this mean it is unlikely to be my > Sally? > > In the 1891 census there is a Sally born in Birmingham listed as a > patient at the workhouse. This is the entry marked deaf and dumb. It > is not a tick in the column but the explicit words "deaf and dumb" so > it cannot be a mistake by the enumerator. It also says her marriage is > "unknown" presumably because she could not answer the question. > > What standard of living would a silversmith have? Is it likely that a > silversmith's widow would have to go to the workhouse? I just assumed > that silver being a precious metal that people in that trade would > have a comfortable living? > > Thanks, > Stephen. > > _____________________________________________ > _____________________________________________ > > Have you considered adding "postems" to "your" events on www.freebmd.org.uk , giving your contact details? Other researchers will then be able to make contact. Click on the info button to add your postem. > > Any problems, please contact the List Admin: [email protected] > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >