LIST 26 - 1828 CENSUS - NEW SOUTH WALES - THE MISSING
No one can doubt the importance and significance of the 1828 Census as perhaps
'the' source document when considering matters to do with the history and genealogy of the early colony. As the first census of the infant settlement
it has always been popularly supposed to include all known inhabitants.
However during the course of the research into this book, it has become apparent
that there were many people who were certainly alive in November 1828 but
who did not appear in the census. Given the importance of the 1828 Census,
it was thought it might be a good idea to list those who were missing from it.This then is a "non list" in the sense that it is a listing about people who
are not listed.
The 1828 Census includes just over one quartre of the First Generation
(502 names), where are all the rest? It is known that 363 First Generation
members died before November 1828. It is also known that 156 First Generation
members left the colony before November 1828. A further 413 First Generation
members have no known documentation other than their birth or arrival in the
colony and these are presumed not to have survived childhood. The Census only
concerned itself with New South Wales and it is known that 262 First Generation members had relocated to Van Diemens Land (many of whom can be found in the
Van Diemens Land musters of 1818, 1819 & 1822) so these would not be expected to appear in the census either.
Table 26.1. - Pre 1828 SeparationsEvent No.
----------------------------death 363
departure 156
no documentation 413
Van Diemens Land 262
That leaves around 288 First Generation members who might reasonably
have been expected to be included in the census but were not. As it turns
out there are 117 members of the First Generation whom one might have thought
ought to be in the 1828 Census and were not. The remaining 171 either died,
left the colony or moved to Van Diemens Land without the fact being recorded
(or not yet located).
To be included in this "missing" list, a person had to have good evidence of
actually being alive in November 1828. One obvious circumstance was a date
of death later than the census. There are 105 First Generation members who are known to have a death date after November 1828. Then there are those who are known to have a colonial marriage after 1828 and still others who are known
to have the birth of a child in the colony after 1828. There were 5 of the
former and 7 of the latter identified.
Table 26.2. - Post 1828 EvidenceEvent No.
----------------------------death 105
marriage 5
child birth 7
The question that then comes to mind is why were all these people not included
in the census?
One obvious answer is that they were out of the colony at the time of the
census; either their departure is not recorded or not located as yet. Exactly
when D'Arcy Wemtworth returned to the colony is unknown but it is known that
he died in Tasmania so he may have been there at the time of the census.
Conversely it is not known at this time when John Bowmn left the colony to die
at Calcutta in India. Similarly Isabella Orsmond (Nelson) died in Tahiti and
her date of departure from the colony is not known.
Others would appear to be "serial offenders" who refused to cooperate with
any government surveillance, for example there are three men (Thomas Eggleton, Thomas Goodin, John Peake) and two women (Eunice Kable, Eliza Suttor) whose
only record is their birth and their death (in adult life). Several others
like Catherine Shaw, married and had children but still managed to not appear in any muster. It would make an interesting study in itself to see if there
were any common characteristics among the recalcitrant, were they
predominately Irish and Catholic for instance?
In any case 117 First Generation members (49 males and 68 females) are
"missing" from the census or to put it another way 23% or almost a quartre
more than those who are listed. If this same proportion were to be extrapolated to the census as a whole, the population of New South Wales would be 45,125 and
not 36,598 an extra 8,527 people! Is it any wonder that the Colonial Office
in London might have difficulty administering the distant colony when they
were being supplied with such grossly inadequate information?
The information presented for each listing is: family name Christian nameyear of birth
parents' names
parents' civil status at the time of the child's birth
parents' marital status at the time of the child's birth age at the time of the censuspost 1828 documentation.
Since they were not listed in the census obviously the details of; religion,
occupation, place of residence, number of acres of land owned and name as it appears in the original document cannot be included. For the females the name
of their spouse and current marital status has been researched from other
sources and because of their marriages, their name as it 'should' appear in
the census has been listed, although as is known from the census itself, what
should appear and what actually appears are not necessarily the same thing!
The list is in alphabetical order; sorted firstly upon the father's surname
and secondly upon the child's Christian name.
The females have been separated from the males, mainly because of the greater
amount of details presented for the females.
The year of birth and parental details come as always from the Pioneer Project.
The "age" of each entry was calculated by subtracting the year of birth from
1828. Unfortunately the year of birth of Thomas Eggleton is unknown.
The "post 1828 documentation" is the evidence that supports the fact that
the person was alive in 1828.
The "marital status" of the females is an assumption in some instances.
Where the woman is married it has been assumed she is still living with her husband and not separated, no instances of widows has been found. Only three
women were single; Julia Johnston, Eunice Kable & Eliza Suttor. Bridget
Oliver was a single mother with the father of her child unidentified at this
time.
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