| 1841 |
Census |
Richard, age 30 is a labourer. His wife Catherine is age 25. They are living in Water Row, Bilston.
They have three children living with them:
- Martha - age 6
- Edward - age 3
- Hannah - age 7 months
They also have a 15 year old girl living with them - Phebe Nicholls |
| 1861 |
Census |
Richard, age 52, is employed by Banks' - although in what occupation it is not clear. He was born in Wednesbury.
His wife, Catherine is 53. She was born in Sedgley.
Since their marriage they have lived in Bilston, as all of the children have been born there. Darlaston is an area that comes under Bilston, so does Coseley. The street address is difficult to read. It looks like Foundry Street, Catherine's Croft. The houses there have been taken down, but the Street is still there, surrounded by allotments and engineering works, and one public house.
Three children are living with them:
- William, is 17 - a 'scum?' malter.
- Mary Ann, age 15, is listed as a Banks' Woman. This probably means she worked at the Maltster Company that was formed at the time. The exact location of that business is not known.
- Ann is age 7 and still at school.
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| 1871 |
Census |
The family are still living in Foundry Street, Darlaston.
Richard - age 61 - is an ironstone miner. There were many deposits of ironstone as well as coal in the area.
Katherine is age 60
Ann is now 17 and is a crepe maker. She was probably a crepe weaver. Such weavers wove a cloth called 'crepea light'. It was a thin fabric with a wrinkled surface. In the Victorian era, crepe was worn by ladies in mourning and there was a big demand for it.
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