Hi Malcolm,   Another possible reason !   Earlier surveys for the OS had been for the one inch to the mile maps.  Between 1862 and 1876, a survey was being carried out in Essex for the first edition of the large scale maps, published at the 25 inch to the mile scale.   This meant that a new survey was needed, at the larger scale, with a great deal more detail, so it required more time and more manpower than the earlier revisions of the one inch maps.   Some towns were also surveyed and published at an even larger scale, 125 inches to the mile.  The two nearest such towns near High Ongar were Chelmsford and Brentwood, and both were being surveyed in 1871.   This information comes from an invaluable book "Ordnance Survey Maps; a concise guide for historians" by Richard Oliver.  My edition is 1994.   It might be worth checking when the OS was carrying out this new survey in relation to the places your ancestor was living at different times.   The detail included in the 125 inches to the mile maps is incredible.  Yesterday evening we were looking at our local small railway station, with a photocopy of this map in hand.  It not only shows all the individual lines, but labels the rooms in the station "Gentlemen's waiting room", "Ladies waiting room", Booking Office", "Stationmaster's House", "parcels office" and "wash house".  It shows individual houses, their garden boundaries, trees and garden pathes, and the pump.   Some may be found in the County Record Office.  There is a complete set in the British Library.  If your ancestor lived in one of these towns, you are in luck !   Keith     Roger and Listers Thanks for that useful info. My gggrandfather was accompanied by his family on his various tours of duty (as a Surveyor with the OS) elsewhere in the British Isles (ie Ireland, Scotland and England). Each appears to have been of 3-5 years duration. When living in High Ongar in 1871, his immediate neighbour (an Asst OS Surveyor) also lived with his family. There were others elsewhere in the village recorded as 'lodgers' and shown working as 'OS draughtsmen' and 'OS labourers'. From Essex records, I now notice that the the Loughton railway was being extended beyond Woodford to High Ongar in 1865. So he might have been involved with railway surveying and mapping for that project in some way. And I had always assumed he worked with the Army because one of his daughters married into the Royal Artillery whilst the family lived in High Ongar. Now I'm not so sure!! Thanks again. Any further thoughts you might have would be very welcome, Malcolm On 6 Aug 2008, at 23:06, Roger Partridge wrote: > Hi Malcolm & Listers ! > > I would suggest that either (a) they were the "local" Ordnance > Survey team > who produced / revised the maps of that area on a regular basis ?; > or (b) > that they were in the area on a temporary basis to carry out a > revision ? > > Is there any suggestion that they are listed as "Lodgers" which might > mean that the latter is the case ? - or did they have their > families with them > which might make the former, more permanent suggestion more likely ? > > I hope this helps ! Best Wishes ! Roger. > -------------------- > On 6 Aug 2008, at 16:41, Malcolm Mills wrote: > >> Dear Listers >> My gggrandfather William Anthony Lennox was a Land/Ordnance Surveyor. >> The 1871 census shows him living in High Ongar. The census also shows >> others, listed as Surveyor assistants, living close by to him in the >> village. >> I wonder if any one on the list has a theory or opinion as to why a >> clutch of people working for the Ordnance Survey should be living in >> High Ongar around 1871, >> With many thanks >> Malcolm H Mills