21 siblings - part 3

Recently I reviewed the census records for the Moore family to remind myself about the various members and perhaps follow-up what happened to the younger generation when they themselves had their own families.

The records for 1841 did not include family relationships - just a list of names, ages (with each adult's rounded down to the nearest multiple of 5) and "Profession, Trade, Employment" with an indication of whether each person was born in, or out, of their present county.  However, based on the ages, it seemed reasonable to conclude that the household consisted of father, mother and four children.

For 1851 onward the census records showed that there were various combinations of sons and daughters in the household of William Moore.  My attention was caught by some unexpected lines on the 1871 and 1881 census pages:

• In 1871 there was a granddaughter Eliza age 7, still there in 1881 age 17. 
  I tried to make sense of the relationships and ages: my great-grandmother age 16 was a year younger than Eliza but was actually her aunt!

• In 1871 there was also a boarder (lodger) Charles Parsons, age 22, unmarried.  By 1881 he was head of the next household down the page, age 32 and married with a wife called Mary, also age 32.  In fact in 1881 the household of Charles Parsons included a step-son called Ernest Moore age 12.
  To summarise my surprising conclusions: the 1871 household of William Moore contained his unmarried daughter Mary age 22, a grandson age 2 and boarder Charles.  By the 1881 census Charles and Mary had married and their family comprised three children including what turned out to be Mary's son.

Eventually, I noticed the address column on the left of the 1881 census page.  The top of the page showed that William was (still) living in Commercial Road, Bournemouth (see NLS Historic Maps).  The line for his household said "No 94" ("No" being a short form of "Number"), an improvement on the previous census which had no street numbers.  Then, to my further surprise, I saw that his daughter and son-in-law in the next household were actually living at "No 94a".  This was an extended family where generations overlapped in time and space!

Therefore, if we count Eliza who was part of William's household, and his other grandchildren who were also living right there, then the total number altogether reaches 21.  No exaggeration, no poor memories, no counting miscarriages - just a close family where all those under William's roof over the years may have considered themselves as brothers and sisters.