The Census Returns 1841-1901

The History of
Hinchingbrooke House

Census Returns for Hinchingbrooke

What is a Census?

A census is an official count of the inhabitants of a country.Now it can give us a snapshot of who lived at Hinchingbrooke at ten year intervals.

Censuses in the UK in the late 19th century were used to calculate taxation and work out numbers of people in towns and cities; then the original data sheets were destroyed.
However from April 1841 a census was taken for the whole of the UK every ten years. The data was analysed to give numbers of people, their ages and needs, then the original data was locked away from the public for 100 years. This protects private information and ensures people can give an honest answer to the census questions. The public will not see the information you give until you are dead.

What does the census tell us?

The 1841 census tells us the name of each person living in the house, their age, occupation and whether they were born in that county. It is an excellent example of original source data.

The 1851 census tells us all the above but adds "relationship to householder", "condition" (meaning married, unmarried or widowed) and "where born" by county and town or village.

This pattern continues into the twentieth century when increasing numbers of questions give a very detailed description of the people, their relatives, religion, ethnic background etc.

1841 Census. Huntingdon St Mary's		Hinchingbrooke	ref 107/455/4
Name	Age	Occupation	Born in county
Jane BUMCUMBE	25	Female servant	No
Mary WALTON	25	Female servant	No
Catherine SNERY	20	Female servant	Yes
Charlotte FRETWELL	25	Female servant	No
Mary CAIN	20	Female servant	No
William MUSK	25	Male servant	Yes
George MANN	25	Gardener	No

Evidently the Earl and his family were not in residence.We know that John William, the 7th earl came of age in 1832.

1851 Census. Huntingdon St Mary's			Hinchingbrooke		ref HO 107/1748/566
Name	Reln to H	Cond	Age	Occupation	Where Born
John Wm MONTAGUE	H	M	39	Lord Lieutenant of the County	London
Lady SANDWICH	Wf	M	38	-	London
Lady Adelaide PAGET	Re	U	30	-	Sts
Mad'le D'ACCERD	Go	-	22	Governess	ALWAD
Dr MELLOR	-	-	35	Tutor	Germany
HINCHINGBROOK	S	-	11	Scholar	London
Victor MONTAGUE	S	-	9	Scholar	London
Sidney MONTAGUE	S	-	8	Scholar	London
Oliver MONTAGUE	S	-	6	Scholar	HUN Huntingdon
Emily MONTAGUE	D	-	4	Scholar	London
Florence MONTAGUE	D	-	2	-	London
Charles BOLTON	Ser	M	41	Butler	HRT Ware
Peter FRADIO	Ser	U	45	Cook	France
William KNIGHTON	Ser	M	35	Under butler	HUN Huntingdon
William EMPLETON	Ser	U	26	Footman	HRT Brickland
Henry DIGHTON	Ser	U	18	Usher of the hall	HUN Huntingdon
James BYFIELD	Ser	U	14	Page	HUN Huntingdon
Ann HARVEY	Ser	U	28	Household Servant	SSX Horsham
Lucy LOVING	Ser	U	38	Household Servant	NTH Peterboro
Anne CORNISH	Ser	U	28	Household Servant	HUN Huntingdon
Jane CORNISH	Ser	U	16	Household Servant	HUN Huntingdon
Maria BAILEY	Ser	U	24	Household Servant	STS Long
Maria UNWIN	Ser	U	23	Household Servant	ESS GT BRANSTED
Mary BUBE	Ser	U	27	Household Servant	HAM Clum
Mary HUGHES	Ser	U	28	Household Servant	HUN Gt Gidding
Eliza SMITH	Ser	U	19	Household Servant	DBY DERBY
Martha HAMER	Ser	U	27	Household Servant	NFK ---
Jane GWINE	Ser	U	35	Household Servant	WLS Welchpool
Charlotte HONE	Ser	U	42	Household Servant	NFK ---
Charlotte WITERAGE	Ser	U	26	Household Servant	DOR Blandford
Susan HOWELL	Ser	U	17	Household Servant	HUN Diddington
Samuel SMITH	Ser	U	28	Stableman	HUN Huntingdon
James SMITH	Ser	U	25	Stableman	HUN Huntingdon
Thomas DAWSON	Ser	U	20	Head Gardener	SCT AYRESHIRE
William SIMMS	Ser	U	19	Gardener	BDF MUGERHANGER
Robert JERVIS	Ser	U	18	Gardener	HUN Huntingdon

What does this census return tell us about the strict hierarchy of the Country House in 1851?
• Look at the order in which the form has been filled in, with important people at the top and less important people at the bottom.
• Count the number of servants and the number of family members
• Why are there no married female servants?
• Why are so many servants needed?

1861 Census. Huntingdon St Mary's			Hinchingbrooke
Name	Reln to H	Cond	Age	Occupation	Where Born
Countess Dowager of Sandwich	Mother	W	80	-	Ireland
Viscountess Sydney	Sister in law	M	57	-	London
Armar Corry	cousin	un	25	Clerk, Foreign Office	London
Hon Oliver Montague	son	un	16	Scholar	Huntingdon
Vicount Hinchingbrook	son	un	22	Lieutenant Grenadier Guards	London
Lady Emily Montagu	daughter	un	14	Scholar	London
Lady Florence Montagu	daughter	un	12	Scholar	London
Augusta Jeschhowely	Governess	un	39	Governess	Prussia, Berlin
William Knighton	servant	M	45	Butler & Steward	Hunts, Sawtry
Phillis Wright	servant	un	42	Housekeeper	Suffolk, Saxmundham
Maria Bessard	servant	un	26	Youngladies Maid	Switzerland
Hannah Hardcastle	servant	un	28	Ladies Maid	Yorks Boroughbridge
Belsey Scott	servant	un	23	Laundry Maid	Devon Chapford
Susannah Welsh	servant	un	31	Laundry Maid	Mdx Shoreditch
Caroline Hough	servant	un	21	Scullery Maid	Warwick Hampton Lucy
Jane Tipping	servant	un	25	Kitchen Maid	Huntingdon
Eliza King	servant	un	22	Still Room Maid	Mdx Kingsland
Kate Radcliffe	servant	un	21	House Maid	Notts Mansfield
Hannah Truse	servant	un	27	House Maid	Hereford Eastnor
?Ellen Hill	servant	un	32	House Maid	Lancashire Bold
Emma Hammond	servant	un	21	School Room Maid	Huntingdon
Francis Hewson	servant	un	25	Under Butler	Yorkshire Bedale
William Lenton	servant	un	18	Usher	Hunts Brampton
Robert Carter	servant	un	28	Footman	Scotland Peebleshire
Mary Minton	servant	un	20	Dairy Maid	Dorset Hook
Marianne Widnes	servant	un	24	Ladies Maid	London
William ... Goddard	servant	M	29	Footman	Wilts Salisbury
Emma Herbert	servant	M	31	Nurse	London
Henry Cadogan	visitor		2		London
Henry Vickers	servant	un	26	Groom	Lincs Gainsborough
Richard Papworth	servant	M	33	Coachman	Cambs Madingley
Frederic Parsons	servant	un	27	Helper	Huntingdon
Frederic Browning	servant	un	19	Helper	London
George Marshall	servant	un	27	Helper	Hunts Stukeley

Three additional houses are shown on the estate: Gardeners House (Head Gardener plus 2 under gardeners); Hinchingbrooke Lodge (3 people); Park Cottage (4 people)

1871 Census. Huntingdon St Mary's			Hinchingbrooke
Name	Reln to H	Cond	Age	Occupation	Where Born
Blanche Sandwich	Wife	M	39	Countess	Surrey Oatland Weybridge
Florence Montagu	Daughter	Un	22	Earl's Daughter	Mdx London St James
Marianne Knight	servant	Un	38	Housekeeper	Suffolk Whickham Mkt
Jane Drouford	servant	Un	40	Lady's Maid	Mdx Marylebone
Sophia Schmidt	servant	Un	27	Lady's Maid	Denmark, Copenhagen
Charlotte Horn	servant	Un	44	Lady's Maid	Somerset Bath Littleton
Elizabeth King	servant	Un	19	Lady's Maid	Leicester, Durrendon
Emily Burden	servant	Un	32	Housemaid	Sussex Bookam
Sarah Ann Ray	servant	Un	22	Housemaid	Hants, Midshead
Martha Smith	servant	Un	24	Housemaid	Norfolk, Gt Yarmouth
Jane Furness	servant	Un	21	Stillroom Maid	Middx Chelsea
Sarah Elms	servant	Un	34	Dairy Maid	Dorset Vale of Nubeck
Jane Brewer	servant	Un	21	Kitchen Maid	Som, Ham
Sophia Hopgood	servant	Un	21	Scullery Maid	Hants Andover
William Knighton	servant	Mar	55	Butler	Hunts, Sawtry
Isaac Stubbs	servant	Un	24	Under Butler	Norfolk Thurlton
John Plane	servant	Un	24	Footman	Norfolk Norwich
William Burrell	servant	Un	23	Footman	Essex Gt Burstead
George Wright	servant	Un	22	Usher	Hunt Brampton
Leonard Hawkes	servant	Un	22	Groom	Hunt Brampton
James Storey	servant	Un	26	Groom	Middx, Hounslow
Edward Torey	servant	Un	22	Helper	Berks Busket

1881 Census. Huntingdon St Mary's			Hinchingbrooke
Name	Reln to H	Cond	Age	Occupation	Where Born
John William Montagu Earl of Sandwich	H	M	69	Peer Lord Lieutenant	London St Georges
Blanche Countess of Sandwich	Wife	M	49	Peeress	Surrey Weybridge
Elizabeth Alderson	servant	Un	37	Housekeeper	Yorks Richmond
Jane Dunford	servant	Un	50	Ladys Maid	London Marylebone
Margaret Sanderson	servant	Un	26	House Maid	Yorks Richmond
Elizabeth Howard	servant	Un	29	House Maid	Hunts Huntingdon
Annie McKay	servant	Un	27	House Maid	London Marylebone
Elizabeth Moore	servant	Un	25	Laundry Maid	Worcs Evesham
Sarah Holmes	servant	Un	18	Laundry Maid	Worcs Broadway
Annie Bartlett	servant	Un	26	Kitchen Maid	Warwick
Jane Barfield	servant	Un	48	Scullery Maid	Mdx Hackney
Elizabeth Richards	servant	Un	26	Stillroom Maid	Mdx Bow
Susan Harlow	servant	Un	49	Stillroom Maid	Hunts Godmanchester
Ada White	servant	Un	27	Dairy Maid	Devon Exeter
Henry Cooper	servant	Un	37	Steward	Hunts Brampton
Felix Dazar	servant	Un	43	Cook	France Paris
Horace Holman	servant	Un	26	Valet	Kent Whickham
Robert Wm Renals	servant	Un	27	Under Butler	Leics Loughborough
William Dale	servant	Un	27	Footman	Kent Canterbury
George Warrington	servant	Un	22	Footman	Hunts Brampton
Edward Stokes	servant	Un	25	Groom	Hunts Abbotsley
Charles Hobbs	servant	Un	18	Usher	Hunts Little Stukeley
William Stringer	servant	Un	30	Helper	Yorks Offingham
Tom Bird	servant	Un	20	Helper	Hunts Great Stukeley

1891 Census. Huntingdon St Mary's			Hinchingbrooke		ref HO107/
Name	Reln to H	Cond	Age	Occupation	Where Born
Edward, Earl of SANDWICH	H	-	51	Peer.Retired Army Officer. Colonel Militia. Farmer	MDX St James Westminster
Charles NEEDHAM	Vis	M	46	Officer in Army. Col-1st Life Guards	MDX Twickenham
Amy NEEDHAM	Vis	M	37		Germany. Baden
Albert Edward PAGET	Vis	-	11	Living on own means	London St Georges Hanover Square
Hon Frederick CADOGAN	Vis	Wd	69	Barrister at Law - retired. Living on own means	France, Paris
Robert Wm DUFF	Vis	M	59	M. General, Army, retired. Living on own means	MDX Marylebone
Beatrice DUFF	Vis	M	55		MDX St James Westminster
Beatrice C DUFF	Vis	-	24		SRY Seale
Hon Evelyn PAGET	Vis	-	41	Maid of Honour to HM The Queen. Living on own means	London
Alfred YORKE	Vis	-	19		London Marylebone
Walter C PERRY	Vis	M	States he is (or she is) returned at 5 Manchester Square, London and declined to answer here
Evelyn PERRY	Vis	M
Martha WILLIAMSON	Vis	-
Henry COOPER	Sv	-	46	Domestic Servant, Butler	HUN Brampton
William HOPLEY	Sv	-	28	Domestic Servant, Valet	HEF Letten
William SYRETT	Sv	-	24	Domestic Servant, Footman	London St Pancras
William FREESTONE	Sv	-	21	Domestic Servant, Groom	NTH Peterboro
Towers ASHCROFT	Sv	-	19	Domestic Servant, Footman	HUN Brampton
Thomas HURST	Sv	-	30	Domestic Servant, Under butler	OXF Lt Milton
James BARRON	Vis	M	36	Domestic Servant, Valet	Elgin, Rothes
Thomas HUMPHREY	Sv	-	21	Domestic Servant, Groom	HUN Gt Stukeley
Edward BLOOMFIELD	Vis	-	17	Domestic Servant, Footman	London Chelsea
Lucien DROGENT	Vis	-	26	Domestic Servant, Valet	France Cannes
Elizabeth BLACK	Sv	-	38	Domestic Servant, Housekeeper	KEN Teynham
Sarah ROGERS	Sv	-	38	Domestic Servant, Cook	HAM Romsey
Phoebe GRIMWOOD	Sv	-	28	Domestic Servant, Laundrymaid	SFK Whepstead
Anne CLOUGH	Sv	-	43	Domestic Servant, Dairymaid	YKS Hornby Bedale
Emily HITCHCOCK	Sv	-	24	Domestic Servant, Stillroom Maid	OXF Middleton
Harriet BLACKMAN	Sv	-	19	Domestic Servant, Laundrymaid	WOR Middle
Mary BRAY	Sv	-	23	Domestic Servant, Housemaid	MDX Lambeth
Alice LANCASTER	Sv	-	21	Domestic Servant, Kitchenmaid	MDX Hounslow
Emily TYLER	Sv	-	23	Domestic Servant, Housemaid	HEF Bolston
Elizabeth SHEPHERD	Sv	-	21	Domestic Servant, Housemaid	LEI Conglestone
Lily CLARK	Sv	-	20	Domestic Servant, Scullery Maid	CAM Kingston
Jane NICHOLS	Vis	-	22	Domestic Servant, Ladys Maid	MDX Chiswick
Mary Ann BARNES	Vis	-	41	Domestic Servant, Ladys Maid	WIL Lynham
Matilda EVANS	Vis	-	36	Domestic Servant, Ladys Maid	PEM Haverford
Albert TAIT	Sv	-	29	Domestic Servant, Footman	SRY Brockham

• Census returns have not always been filled in accurately by the people living at an address. Why might this be?
• Why might Walter and Evelyn Perry and Martha Williamson have not wanted to give further details?

• "Living on own means" - what does this mean? How can they do it?
• Looking at the "where born" column, which areas of London seem to be the richest, and which the poorest? Is that still true today?

1901 Census. Huntingdon St Mary's			Hinchingbrooke
Name	Reln to H	Cond	Age	Occupation	Where Born
Harry Hill	Servant	Un	20	Odd Man	Hunts Brampton
Henry Cooper	Head	Un	56	House Steward	Hunts Brampton
Charles Gordon Falcon	Visitor	Un	31	Captain Royal Engineers	Cheshire Knutsford
Albert Roselpries	Visitor	Un	31	Captain Brabants Colonial Division	South Africa Port Elizabeth
Elizabeth Howe	Servant	Un	40	Housekeeper	Dorset Piddleton
Harriet Jordan	Servant	Un	27	Laundry Maid	Staffords Elmhurst
Florence Putner	Servant	Un	19	Laundry Maid	Middlesex Lambeth
Charlotte Gilbert	Servant	Un	29	Stillroom Maid	Northants Burghley
Ann Clough	Servant	Un	53	Dairy Maid	Yorks Hornbey
Sarah Ann Taylor	Servant	Un	26	Kitchen Maid	Hants Ramsey St Mary's
Louisa Smith	Servant	Un	19	Scullery Maid	Rutlandshire Kelton
Elizabeth Wass	Servant	Un	27	House Maid	Notts Norwell
Lilly Hagram	Servant	Un	21	House Maid	Middlesex Bayswater
Mary Usher	Servant	Un	19	House Maid	Hunts Buckden
John Lissenden	Servant	Un	32	Under Butler	Kent Malling
George .. Gregor	Servant	Un	28	Footman	Scotland
George Andrews	Servant	Un	23	Footman	Somerset Shepton Mallet
Charles Ernest Dale	Servant	Un	26	Footman	Oxfordshire Addebury
Hinchingbrooke Stables
George Papworth	Head	M	37	Coachman	Hunts Alconbury
Mary Ann Papworth	Wife	M	37	-	Hunts Brampton
Edward George Papworth	Son	Un	9	-	Hunts Hinchingbrooke
Arthur George Ashcroft	Relation	Un	18	Groom	Hunts Brampton
William Sattman	Servant	Un	20	Groom	Hunts Grafham
George Henry Gale	Servant	Un	19	Groom	Hunts St Neots
Hinchingbrooke Farm
William Rowell	Head	Widower	43	Farm Bailiff	Hunts Abbott Ripton
Sydney William Rowell	Son	Un	9	-	Huntingdon
Frederick Stanley Rowell	Son	Un	8	-	Huntingdon
Florence Wakefield	Servant	Un	30	Housekeeper	Cambs Little Gransden
Hinchingbrooke Gardens
James Barston	Head	Un	32	Head Gardener	Aston on Trent
R Stevens	Head	Un	21	Second Gardener	Berkshire
James Rymill	-	Un	17	Third Gardener	Oxford Hawley
William Dawe	-	Un	21	Fourth Gardener	Dorsetshire
Thomas Hill	-	Un	18	Gardener	Hunts Brampton

The Hinchingbrooke Domestic staff photographed in 1906.
Can we put names from the 1901 census to the picture from 1906?
A similar picture taken in 1909 featured 35 staff.
Notice how the social ranking of the servants is shown by the sitting and standing positions.

• How many servants appear on more than one census return? What does this tell us about the turn-over of servants at an Edwardian country house like Hinchingbrooke? Who stayed for many years and who moved on?

Other Links

Census returns for Hinchingbrooke

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PRO Censuses

A servant's day