Hi Everyone I have been pondering on this for some time and wondered what the answer may be. 1. My gtgrandparents were both deaf and dumb from birth 2. The marriage cert shows they signed X their mark 3.In 1881 they are together (in Saddleworth )and a small baby in house, no relatives near by. 4.How did they give details for the census?????????????????? 5. Did they have people who could "sign" to them ??????? Chris

Hi Chris The enumerator would leave a form with the householder to be filled in and collected later, if the householder could not fill in the details required, they might ask a younger member of the family or perhaps a neighbour or friend Failing that the enumerator would probably help them to complete it when he collected it No doubt sign language of a sort played its part in the process, necessity is the mother of invention I believe Best wishes Nivard Ovington, in Cornwall (UK) > Hi Everyone > I have been pondering on this for some time > and wondered what the answer may be. > 1. My gtgrandparents were both deaf and dumb from birth > 2. The marriage cert shows they signed X their mark > 3.In 1881 they are together (in Saddleworth )and a small baby in house, no > relatives near by. > 4.How did they give details for the census?????????????????? > 5. Did they have people who could "sign" to them ??????? > Chris