strange address in 1841 Suffolk!

[irondeb]

I have been searching the family Bicker/s in Suffolk and found a strange entry for 1841. They were living 'In the Street, Laxfield'. There were other families listed as living at this 'address'. Would anyone know why this entry was like this? Were they actually living 'in the street'?

[Tilliduff]

Was there only one street? What are the other addresses in the area? Do you get clues from perhaps browsing the description of the enumeration area?

I have a family who on the 1861 census are said to be living on the beach! In fact they were coastguard cottages with just a path leading from the road along behind the beach.

[irondeb]

Sorry to be a bit dense but how do you mean 'browsing the description of the enumeration area'?

Looking at the original image then moving forward a page at a time, there are others listed as 'living in church yard' then other people living in actual named streets so I'm a bit confused

Thanks very much

[Tilliduff]

I'm assuming you are using Ancestry.co.uk? If not these directions will not apply but there should always be a description available. The first page of the census of an enumeration district is always a description, and it lists the streets in the area to be covered. In searching for Bicker in Suffolk the first to come up lives in Laxfield. Go into the original image, which is image 7 of District 10 for 1841. Click on "District 10" above the census page and you will be offered a description of the census area.

In fact in this case it is not helpful, as no streets are mentioned, but I usually like to look at the description.

I must admit I'm puzzled by people living in the churchyard and in the street - I haven't seen this before. Why should Laxfield have such a number of people apparently homeless? The people I found were employed, so you would expect them to have homes even if they were living in very cramped conditions.

Addresses were not really formulated at that time, as it was very rare for most people to get mail and formal addresses were not needed. But these people are mixed in with definite dwellings - I'm stumped!!

[irondeb]

actually I'm using findmypast. I didn't know which site was better to use and as this one gave access to 1911 (which is where I started because the only details my parents knew were some of their grandparents), it gave me a starting point.

which do you think is the better? I've noticed Ancestry seems to be being promoted by everything!

[irondeb]

Just checked findmypast, can't get into the enumeration bits like you can on the early census, but I've just checked the 1851 census street details, searching 'in the street' and amazingly quite a lot came up ! The first one I looked at was listed as Alms Houses, in the street, Bramford. Obviously not as unusual an address as I thought!

[Tilliduff]

That does seem to confirm that "in the street" does not mean that they are homeless! I'm so glad!

[steve bannister 1]

This is such a funny one!

There are only about 800 people in Laxfield today, in 1841 there were a lot less.

The main residential road, that led up to the church, was actually called, 'The Street'. And most people lived along there.

Take a look at the attached picture.

Steve.