A census has been taken every ten years since 1801, excluding 1941. However, only those that date from 1841 are of real value for historical research. The early census returns 1801-1831 were mainly headcounts and contained little personal information.
The 1841 Census was the first to record the names of everyone in a household or institution. However, their relationship to the head of the household was not noted, although sometimes this can be inferred from the occupation shown (e.g. servant). Those under the age of 15 had their proper ages listed, but for those who were older the ages were supposed to be rounded down to the nearest five years, although this rule was not strictly adhered to. Precise birthplaces were not given – at best, the birthplace can be narrowed down to the county in which the person was living.
From 1851 onwards the census shows the exact age and relationship to the head of household for each individual; the place of birth was also listed, but with varying degrees of precision.
The information recorded on individuals has tended to increase with each census and allows a more detailed analysis of individuals and families living in Timsbury. It is also possible to build up a picture of the local community at the time of the census and changes over time.
The transcriptions for Timsbury are available below. Click on the appropriate link to open the file