Although there were some Reindeers and Elves in the 1911 census, the angels and fairies were a far more interesting bunch. For some reason, angle is often mis-transcribed as angel (in terms of steel workers) but there are two actual, real angels in 1911.
Firstly, Annie Victoria Catherine Wing, the 52 year old wife of Edgar Wing who, having been born in Geelong in Australia was recorded in 1911 as a house angel! How lovely….
Then, there was Thomas Tallintire who Ancestry decided was actually called Henry…. but it is clear as crystal, Thomas…. And when you read into why he was recorded as ‘angel’, it’s quite a sad story. Thomas and Dorothy had ten children ‘born alive to present marriage’, nine were alive and one had died. This Thomas aged 16 had sadly gone to live with the angels and a younger brother aged 13 was named after him.
Fairies were not too prevalent in 1911. However, it would seem that until we had trawled through them, many dairy farmers/workers etc. were in fact working on fairy farms! Mary Ellen Parr was apparently undertaking fairy work…. more than likely, away with the fairies….
George Steell actually worked in a biscuit factory in Bermondsey doing the fairy cake mixing and Florence Stoker, a 31 year old patient at Brentford Union Infirmary, was a fairy light finisher. Lizzie Taylor‘s profession was recorded as ‘fairy wack’ until we amended the transcription…. Great Scott! Perhaps more likely to be ‘dairy work’!
Tomorrow, Holly….? Ivy….?
