Thinking of the old Irish Census...

Rmulvany

This is completely theoretical and just for a bit of fun.
From what I remember hearing, in the 2021 Census there will be a Time-capsule section where you can write in whatever you like for future generations to read.

That got me thinking a couple of things (leaving the tragic events of 1922 aside):
Imagine if our ancestors had a similar section where they could have added random details about their life. I know that illiteracy was high but it would be really interesting to get peoples views on life around the famine, rebellion, what they knew as Irish History!

So here's my question, if you could go back in time and add extra sections to the Census forms for your ancestors to fill out, what would they be?

For me I know space on the forms was limited but I think a brief 2 generation family tree would have been amazing! Imagine the brick walls that this would break down!

Rmulvany

Also, I am aware that duchas.ie exists and I find it great to be able to read the school notebooks written by great-grandparents about random things. My point is that you would have thousands more stories to bury your head into

pinkypinky

I think "mother's maiden name" would be the ultimate winner.
List people in your family who have died since the last census - this was actually asked on the 1851 census because they were trying to account for the Famine without a general registration system.

I also like on US censuses where they ask what state each of your parents came from. There's less movement of people in Ireland but it would be still very useful.

Hermy

Oh, if only we could ask our ancestors for a bit of a dig out with the family tree!

Apropos of my brick wall thread I'd be hoping Mrs. Pelly could give me a clue as to the whereabouts of her absent son.
But what I'd really like from her is her mothers name but that's a brick wall for another day.

Rmulvany

pinkypinky wrote: »

I think "mother's maiden name" would be the ultimate winner.
List people in your family who have died since the last census - this was actually asked on the 1851 census because they were trying to account for the Famine without a general registration system.

I also like on US censuses where they ask what state each of your parents came from. There's less movement of people in Ireland but it would be still very useful.

I think you're right, mother's maiden name would have been a great question. It would have been a quick one to ask and wouldn't have taken up much space at all on the form.

p15574

- PPS number (obviously would have had to introduce one too!). Would allow confirmation it’s the same person between censuses, especially if used also on birth/marriage/death certs.
- “Rate your happiness on a scale of 1 to 10”?
- Annual or weekly income (though likely to be underplayed if black economy)
- the room number the person sleeps in. For example, parents & child 1 in room 1, the other 14 children in room 2. Something perhaps to help know how many people slept to a room, to get an idea of the poverty. I know the full return includes some info on the building, but it’s a bit abstract and more awkward to find
- maybe an idea of the diet? Eg “no. of meals with meat per week”
- do you smoke (pipe or cigarette etc)
- do you drink alcohol?