Around two years ago, I found this 1901 census online, but didn't mark down where I found it.
Now I can't find a free one to access. Very mysterious...so I will have to double check at the library using Ancestry.com for free, and see if I can find a Joseph Williams, father to John Griffith Williams.
John is listed on line 10 in the above copy.
Here is a scanned in closeup. John G was a servant, age 13, for Ellis Jones Edmunds, at Plas Uchaf Farm. I believe this John Griffith is my Grandpa, as the age is correct and the birth date is correct.
However, I'm not sure why he was a servant at the age of 13. At the moment I can't find Joseph Williams, my Grandpa's father, as there are TONS of people by that name; over 600 pages of Josephs in my World Vital Record site. WVR isn't very good at narrowing down the search. Alas. So it's back to the library for me!
By Loretta Houben
1 comment:
Hi Loretta
I'm in hospital and went on-line to catch up with my bloggy reads. Just found this post.
The compulsory minimum school leaving age didn't go up to 14 until 1918 in England and Wales.That's how your ancestor could work at such a young age. Children could leave as young as 11 or 12 if they reached the required standard in English and arithmetic expected of an average 13 year old.
My dad left school 3 weeks after his 14th birthday in 1935, though he was the brightest in his family, they could not afford the fees for him to go to high school as did his older brother and sister. Sadly, his wages were used towards paying for his younger brother and sister (twins) to go on to the age of 18. He was a little bitter about being the only one not sent to high school.
My brother left school at 15, in 1966. The minimum leaving age went up to 16 at the beginning of the 70s - I was training as a teacher and got lumbered with a class of belligerent almost 16 yr old boys who had just been told they had to stay an extra year - they were all twice my size and hard work - a baptism of fire for me! By then all school was free but only the more able kids stayed on to the age of 18. Mandatory attendance up to the age of 18 begins next year here. I can't help thinking it is pointless - the young people who have not achieved well up to the age of 16 would probably be happier and do more with an apprenticeship. I've met so many kids who refuse to learn in school but work really hard in their chosen field of work.
I looked up the residents of our house in 1890(it is VERY TINY, even by UK standards)there were the tenant couple, 6 grandchildren and 4 servants, aged 12, 13, 19 and 87! Goodness knows where they slept! There was also a one room building on the land with four residents and in brackets at the side f the land entry it says (hovel)!
How life has changed! Now, young people seem to have extended childhoods - up to mid twenties, whilst their great grandparents were working by 11 or 12.
Jenni
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