Thank you to everyone who responded with thoughts about family being recorded twice in the census. I have on a few occasions found a child recorded at home and also in the home of a relative which is understandable. But with the husband and wife being in 2 different places each with a couple of the children was a puzzle. On further research I found that George's mother died in 1878 so maybe he was at her home in 1881 although the address is different than the one recorded at her death. George's mother, Martha, was a grocer and on a couple of census returns George is recorded as grocer's shopman and later a Grocer & Tea Dealer and later a Grocer and a couple of his sons are grocer's shopman and Grocer's Journeyman so I guess they were assisting her with the business. Stirs the brain anyway.......... Marg >From the Beautiful British Columbia Cariboo Region, Canada ----- Original Message ----- From: "Nivard Ovington via" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2014 1:08 AM Subject: Re: [YORKSGEN] Listed twice in 1881 census Hi Marg It is not as uncommon as you think Possibilities Ruth was living/visiting at the Horton address and George filled in her name and Emily's as they usually lived there (many householders misunderstood the instructions) They were estranged and George entered her details to save face They were in the middle of a move, farmers sometimes moved when their tenancy came up for renewal They operated both properties farming land at both And no doubt others I notice Ruth was on her own in 1871 as well, George is enumerated but crossed out as presumably he was not there on the night George is at home with his mother, could George have inherited his mothers home? Looks like Martha died in 1878 Martha left £450 in her will a not insignificant sum in those days, lending weight to the inheritance possibility Nivard Ovington in Cornwall (UK) On 29/09/2014 23:55, Margaret Cambridge via wrote: > I have a family at 2 different addresses that has me a bit puzzled. > > The wife, Ruth STIRK, is shown as head with 3 of her children. Her > husband, George, is recorded as head at a different address but Ruth is > also in the home. All the children are theirs and daughter Emily is > recorded in each household. > I know that people filling out the census form can think that a family > member will be in the home on census night and for some reason they are > not. But.........2 different houses with the wife in one, the husband and > wife in the other. > > Can anyone think of a reason. Probably very simple and I'm just not > seeing it...-)) > > 1881 census: 15 Ann Place, Horton, Bradford > Ruth Stirk, head, married, 49, Housekeeper, b Halifax > Rosina Stirk, dau, 18, Dressmaker, b Bradford > Annie Stirk, dau, 13, b Bradford > Emily Stirk, dau, 9, Scholar, b Bingley > Clara Athles, boarder, Married, 21, Governess, b Bristol > > 1881 census: Highfield, Morton in Keighley, Yorkshire > George Stirk, head, 52, Gardener & Farmer, b Bradford > Ruth Stirk, wife, 50, b Halifax > Sarah Elizabeth, dau, 21, Dress and mantle maker, b Bradford > James Stirk, son, 16, Scholar, b Bradford > Emily Stirk, dau, 9, Scholar, b Bingley > > Thanks for any thoughts..... > > Marg