1881 - Beach Alley - Starting a search

Facts are facts, perhaps boring, but just facts that can easily be read and searched through. Fine, except these are people, our townspeople and the snapshot of them that is a census can tell us more than just the bare facts if we use a little extra knowledge and a touch of imagination.

The following is based on a microcosm of Whitstable in 1881. This year the First Boer War had ended with heavy British casualties and soldiers were begining to return home. Whitstable’s association with the sea meant that many of the menfolk of the town would not be counted at home but in their ships and boats. Beach Alley, which still exists, was at the heart of the town and as can be seen just about everybody here was involved with the sea in some way or other.

Let’s picture the scene. The year is 1881. Today is Monday the 4th April and the previous midnight was the point of the 1881 census. The enumerator is on his rounds collecting the information for his allotted area. He turns off Middle Wall in the direction of Island Wall through Beach Alley. This is not a narrow alleyway like Squeeze Gut Alley between terraces of cottages, but is hardly wide enough to call a road. Had it not had an entrance and an exit it may well have been classed as a yard.

The houses were not numbered. Only a few had names. He walked along the cobbles to the first dwelling and paused to write on the census sheet he was filling in the place name, Beach Alley. At least, he thought, I’m not the one who’s having to clamber on board all of the boats in the harbour today.

He knocked on the door and began collating. The following has been taken from his records that day.

The enumerator totalled his columns of households, males and females. He made his way to Sea Wall, tightening his coat as he walked. The north wind was blowing todayand it was going to be very cold along the beach. He had made no conclusions from his findings, after all that wasn’t his job and in any case the findings here were much the same as the surrounding area.

We, today though, are different people, supposedly better educated but having lost that simple lifestyle. We are used to analysing down to the infinite degree. So what can we tell from these records?

• A high level of employment for the heads of the households.
• Married woman tended to stay at home bringing up the children.
• The sea provided most of the work.
• Most people were born locally.
• ‘Old Whitstable’ names like Camburn and Uden were in evidence.
• Many men were away from home (at sea?). This will give Family Historians problems.
• Girls tended to go into Domestic Service once of age.
• Children started school when 4 years old?
• The spelling of names was apt to change. eg. Coller is probably now Collar.
• The place must have smelled strongly of fish!

We also now know how difficult it is to accurately read the writing on these old census sheets. The above are true as regards the official records but there are a few errors that will be proved and corrections shown for as more research is carried out.