<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 >