Despite claims that 'all Royal Navy ships' are listed in the 1901 census, I know for a fact that at least one isn't. HMS Centurion which had been out in China since 1899 didn't return to England until about July 1901. Pam 23/11/2013 23:57, Nina Jenkins wrote: > <snip> That mentions "separate census returns for Royal Navy At Sea" in > some (but > not all) of the earlier censuses. And no, I don't know what "At Sea" meant! > > It means that all ships not in a UK port. Captains were given forms to > complete on census night wherever in the world they were, if not in a UK > port. The Royal Navy was rather better organised than merchant shipping, so > returns are fairly comprehensive but, inevitably, some did not hand them in > when they returned home at the end of a commission. > > Nina > > > > > On 23 November 2013 16:33, Adrian Bruce <[email protected]> wrote: > >> <<snipped>> >> I think that is true, certainly for the Navy where ships were included, but >> my great-grandfather was with the Army in Templemore, Ireland in 1871 and I >> don't think that was covered. I have another relative (not in the Forces) >> who was in America in 1851 (and actually recorded in the US 1850 census), >> <<snipped>> >> >> According to http://www.ukcensusonline.com/census/1911.php the 1911 census >> "is the first census to record full details of British Army personnel >> stationed overseas." Note that "overseas" must surely(?) mean outside the >> UK. Someone in the Army in Ireland in 1871 would be covered in the Irish >> census of that year. >> >> As for the Royal navy, that is mentioned in the FMP Blog on >> >> http://blog.findmypast.co.uk/2011/07/ask-the-expert-disappeared-in-the-1881- >> census >> >> That mentions "separate census returns for Royal Navy At Sea" in some (but >> not all) of the earlier censuses. And no, I don't know what "At Sea" meant! >> >> Adrian B >> >> >> >> >> ------------------------------- >> > > ------------------------------- > 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 >