John: What do you mean by "entry number 283"? Is it schedule 283 in that enumeration district? Or is it on folio 283 of that census piece? Have you read the enumeration district description, given at the front of every enumeration district and mentioning every place covered? I have looked at the OS 1st edition 6" map and can find no mention thereon of anywhere named The Hold in or near to Chirton. The nearest I can find is "Hay Hole", that being a stretch of riverside about a mile south of Chirton village - where there were many staithes, serving Percy Main Colliery and the waggonways leading from further north. The word "Hole" is frequently used on the Tyne to mean an anchorage, especially one near to the shore, eg Dent's Hole, Peggy's Hole (where the Press Gang's HQ ship, the "Peggy" usually lay) and others. Geoff Nicholson -----Original Message----- From: John Gosling <[email protected]> To: NORTHUMBRIA <[email protected]> Sent: Wed, 5 Jun 2013 14:45 Subject: [NMB] The Hold, Chirton Hi, I've got an ancestor living in Chirton on the 1851 census. I'm trying to find something on the address written in the census, which looks like "The Hold". My ancestor is William Pearson, entry number 283 on the census. There's 3 or 4 pages with the same address. Could anyone explain what "The Hold" is or was, assuming I am reading it correctly, could refer to? Regards John .. Please remember to snip most of the earlier message before you post any reply...... Thank you! The NORTHUMBRIA FAQ page is located at http://www.bpears.org.uk/NorthumbriaFAQ/ ------------------------------- 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