Genealogy Chat

Hi everyone. I am fairly new to all of this and have found my great grandfather-in-law in the 1901 census. He was born c1867 and is shown as being blind from birth. He doesn't appear in any other census (that I can find) so I was wondering whether his blindness might have meant he was in some sort of institution for a large part of his life. He was born in Poplar (and so were his children so he doesn't seem to have moved around much). Does anyone know where I might access records for such institutions please? All help gratefully received. Many thanks, Stephanie.

Well institutions would appear on census too altho sometimes they just listed inmates with their initials so makes it difficult to find them . he obviously married so that cert will give ,hopefully, his dads name . you may just have to find his parents and the census for them and not find where he might have been institutionalized

Thanks June. His name is John James Moss - born c 1867 married Jane Ward. Had 3 children (that we know of) Walter (1894ish), Hilda (1901) & Thomas Benjamin (1907) ( my grandfather in law). John and Walter born in Poplar and Hilda in Limehouse. Family legend had it that John was blinded by a horses tail - but the 1901 census shows him blind from birth so that's killed that one!

Hi Stephanie, Why dont you put his details up and we can see if we can find him in earlier census ? June x

Thanks for that - trouble is, I don't know his date of marriage - only his wife's name! It's so frustrating. I just don't understand how someone who is 34 in 1901 doesn't appear anywhere else any earlier.

1901 census for ref Name: John Moss Age: 34 Estimated birth year: abt 1867 Relation: Head Spouse's name: Jane Gender: Male Where born: Poplar, London, England Civil parish: Limehouse Ecclesiastical parish: London Town: Tower Hamlets County/Island: London Country: England Street address: Occupation: Condition as to marriage: Education: Employment status: View image Registration district: Stepney Sub-registration district: Limehouse ED, institution, or vessel: 12 Neighbors: View others on page Household schedule number: 73 Household Members: Name Age Hilda Moss 2 8 months Jane Moss 32 John Moss 34 Walter Moss 6 June x

1891 census maybe Name: John Moss Age: 22 Estimated birth year: abt 1869 Relation: Lodger Gender: Male Where born: Poplar, London, England Civil parish: Limehouse Ecclesiastical parish: St Peter Town: London County/Island: London Country: England Street address: Occupation: Condition as to marriage: Education: Employment status: View image Registration district: Stepney Sub-registration district: Limehouse ED, institution, or vessel: 16 Neighbors: View others on page Household Members: Name Age William Croucher 21 William Hicks 28 John Moss 22 Charles Walford 12 Eleanor Walford 17 Elizabeth Walford 52 Emily Walford 19 George Walford 14 John Walford 16 June x

1881 census Name: John Moss Age: 15 Estimated birth year: abt 1866 Relation: Servant Gender: Male Where born: Limehouse, Middlesex, England Civil parish: Linchouse County/Island: London Country: England Street address: 1 Turners Place Education: Employment status: View image Occupation: Striker Registration district: Stepney Sub-registration district: Limehouse ED, institution, or vessel: 14 Neighbors: View others on page Household Members: Name Age David Bruce 47 Chas Gibbs 24 George Gibbs 50 Sarah Gibbs 53 John Moss 15 June x

1871 census Name: John Moss Age: 4 Estimated birth year: abt 1867 Relation: Grandson Gender: Male Where born: Bromley, Middlesex, England Civil parish: Bromley St Leonard Ecclesiastical parish: St Gabriel County/Island: London Country: England Street address: Occupation: Condition as to marriage: Disability: View image Registration district: Poplar Sub-registration district: Bow ED, institution, or vessel: 36 Neighbors: View others on page Household schedule number: 163 Household Members: Name Age Alfred Deeks 14 John Deeks 16 Mary Deeks 59 Robert Deeks 59 John Moss 4 June x

Hi June I really appreciate your help on this one. Do you know what a striker was? Could a blind person have done the job? In 1901 John was a hawker of fancy goods (not sure how he did that blind either!?) Also, as I am pretty new to this, do you think 15 was a time when boys left home to work or might the family have taken him in? Do any of the other census' mention his blindness? Sorry to throw all these questions at you but I would be thrilled to find out more for the family. Stephanie

Thanks again June - the 1871 result is fascinating in that he appears to have been living with his maternal grandparents. That's a line of enquiry I shall now pursue. It's odd that the blindness isn't mentioned, but maybe his parents just couldn't cope which is why the grandparents took over. Thanks again for all your help. Stephanie x

None of the census say he was blind, and yes they did leave there familys very young to find work. maybe a Blacksmith's Striker need to go out now will be back later + see if i can find anything else June x

IF June has found the correct John Moss .............. and there are several with birth years in the correct range, the census images say the following:- 1871 .............. no comment regarding blindness. Grandfather is a Carpenter 1881 .............. no comment re blindness. Striker means Blacksmith's Striker .... ie, labourer who assists a Blacksmith. George and Chas Gibbs and David Bruce are all Blacksmiths 1891 ............... no comment re blindness John is an Ostler at an Inn .................. ie some one who takes care of horses. Sylvia

Marriages Mar 1894 (>99%) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Moss John James Mile End vol1c page 561 Whiting Jane Harriet Mile End vol 1c page 561 The district Mile End is an alternative name for Mile End Old Town and it spans the boundaries of the counties of London and Middlesex is this the marriage June x

Stephanie, June and I have picked the MOST likely candidate from several men called John Moss born within 5 years of 1867, in the London/Middlesex area. We COULD very well be wrong, so please do NOT assume the information we have given is correct. You will need to double check. The first thing to do is to attempt to get John Moss' birth certificate ...... this will give you his exact birth date, his parents name, and his mother's maiden name. That will verify or not the 1871 census for a start. I'm just about to see if I can find his birth registration, his marriage registration and posssibly his parents registration fro you. Sylvia

This COULD be the parents of the John Moss on the 1871 census:- Surname First name(s) District Vol Page -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Marriages Dec 1860 (>99%) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>>>Deeks Emma Elizabeth Co[v_]eny Poplar 1c 1055 Kyne Charles Poplar 1c 1055 >>>>Moss John Thomas Poplar 1c 1055 Stone Margaret Poplar 1c 1055

Just read this with interest.Only a comment but you did say the theory was he was blinded by a horses tail.In the 1891 he is an Ostler so could he have been blinded in the period between the 1891 and 1901 and not from birth.. Wanda :0)

This COULD be his birth registration ... time and place are correct. Surname First name(s) District Vol Page -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Births Mar 1866 (>99%) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Moss John J Poplar 1c 738 To get the certificate .............. go to www*gro*gov*uk (replace * with .), click on Ordering Certificates on the right side oof the screen, follow instructions. Answer YES when asked if you ahve the GRO numbers ..... those are the 2 sets of numbers to the right of the name above (1c 738). Each certificate will cost £7 and will take about 4 to 7 days to arrive (in the UK) Sylvia

Wanda, You are quite right ......... I thought that as I was typing it!!! It does fit the family story, doesn't it?!

Stephanie, How do you know his wife was Jane Ward?? I can only find the same marriage registration that June did ......... to a Jane Whiting. Now ................................ there are several possible reasons for this. She could have been married before. They could possibly not have been legally married (far more common in those days than you would think!!!)