The trials of research!

[Ann from Sussex]

I have just been refreshing my memory about the family of my 3xgt. grandparents, Henry Hugh and Mary Daniels nee Mitchelhill. In my tree software I have found this note about Mary that I made a long time ago:

"Baptism recorded with surname "HILL" daughter of Robert Mitchel Hill and Janet Whitrough.Her date of birth is recorded but not the date of her baptism. Were they the same?

1861 census: There is no sign of Mary living with Henry Hugh who is recorded as "Hugh" only. He is shown as being a separate household within 33 Jane Street (page 39 of the return) which is also occupied by the family of John Fennis a 39 yr old lighterman, his wife Sarah and their 6 children. HHD is shown as "head" of his own household with no relationship to Fennis. There is a single line drawn between the last Fennis child and HHD denoting a separate household. A double line is drawn after HHD and before the entry for 32 Jane Street, denoting another address. Not even sure if these numbers are correct. The return begins with Jane Street numbers ascending in correct sequence until it gets to number 36 when it jumps back to 34 and begins a descending sequence repeating addresses already covered but with different people living in them. At number 21 (page 33 of the return) are HENRY HUGHES aged 55 born Stepney and his wife MARY aged 52 born Rotherhithe. Mary's age and birthplace fit Henry Hugh Daniels. Did the enumerator make a complete mess of his forms so made up the finished return as best he could? Jane Street occupies pages 26 to 50 of the return and records 594 people. It begins at number 1 and the highest house number is 36 but many are repeated, some more than once. SEE 1871 NOTES BELOW

1871 census: HHD and Mary living at 38 Jane Street along with 3 other families. This time the return is properly laid out beginning with number 2 on page 3, progressing sequentially through the even numbers to number 72 and beginning again with the odds from 1 to 71.Jane Street ends on page 28. There were 387 people living on the street in 1871. HHD and Mary appear on page 9 but, for some unknown reason, are recorded again (with correct address) on page 52, cross referenced to page 9."

So ..... to anyone trying to find ancestors who were baptised in Kirkcudbright around 1802 or who lived on Jane Street, St George in the East, Middlesex in 1861, good luck! I never have found poor old Mary on that census by the way!