searchmyancestry – Ruth A. Symes
Innovative approaches to understanding more about your family history
On the 1911 census, couples were asked for the first time how long they had been married. Many gave a falsely extended number of years – just enough to render all their children legitimate! Mr and Mrs M Young and their seven children, Waterloo House, Waterford, 1913. Via Wikimedia Commons. For Social History and Women's... Continue Reading →
Just submitted the first of three articles looking at the funny gaffes, bloopers and mix-ups that sometimes disrupted births, marriages and deaths in the nineteenth century! http://www.discoveryourancestors.co.uk 'Marriage Mishaps' coming soon, November 2025 For Social History and Women's History Books https://www.naomisymes.com/
Couples sometimes gave incorrect ages on their marriage certificates and on censuses to make the age difference between them appear more acceptable. We like to think of our ancestors as fine upstanding members of the community and it can sometimes come as a shock to discover that they told an untruth when registering important events... Continue Reading →
