1890 Census question

[Rosalie Enstrom]

Could someone let me know at what time of the year was the 1890 census carried out.  Was it in the beginning? Preferably the date would be appreciated.
Thank you
Rose

[Siv Johansson]

Rosalie.
The 1890 census was carried out during january-mars 1891 and applied to those peoble who lived 1890 december 31.
Mvh Siv

[Rosalie Enstrom]

Thank you Siv.    Can I assume that the 1900 Census was carried out in January - March as well.
Rose

[Elisabeth Thorsell]

Rosalie, you should not regard our census the way you regard an Americaan one. Our clergy kept continous records in a special set of books, called husförhörslängder in Swedish, often translated as clerical surveys or household examnination rolls. These were discontinued in the old form around 1895 and succeeded by a new set of books called församlingsböcker.  
 
Every ten years the pastor had to make an extract from these books, and send it in to the Central Bureau of Statistics. It is these extracts that have been digitized and put out on CD:s, and they are supposed to show the population situation on December 31 of the year in question, 1890 or 1900.
 
To get those real clerical surveys you can find them through your closest Family History Center (Mormons) or online at www.genline.com. Unfortunately not all of them are available after 1895 (yet).

[Rosalie Enstrom]

Elisabeth, thank you very much for this information.   I was trying to follow the whereabouts of our Grandfather Bror Enstrom.   We know that he fought in the Boer War in South Africa and was wounded at Scheepers Nek on the 20th May, 1900.
 
What I was having trouble in understanding was how he was listed on the Census of 1900.   If that was done early in 1900, e.g. January/February or so, then he had probably only gone to South Africa after this date.  Things are a little confusing for me at present, but all the information which I receive from good folk like yourself, is helping me to piece the life of our Grandfather together.
 
I don't want my children to sit and wonder where they originated from and I would sincerely hope to be able to hand to them the history of the family which forms their Swedish heritage.
Once again,
Many thanks
Rose

[Elisabeth Thorsell]

Rosalie, I went on Google and searched for this place Scheepers Neck and found a listing of the Bethunes Mounted Infantry, where your grandfather served: Enstrom    H    289    D    Trooper    20/10/1899    06/10/1900            Trans depot for dis
 
which I take to mean that he enlisted in October 1899, and was discharged in October 1900, so he left Sweden earlier, than what is seen in the 1900 census.
 
The link to this page is http://hometown.aol.co.uk/tamsinasplin/BethunesMI.html

[Rosalie Enstrom]

Elisabeth, yes you are correct.  Bethunes Mounted Infantry was established in Durban in October 1899.   Harry, as our Grandfather was known, was involved in the skirmish at Scheepers Nek in May 1900 and I have all his medical records commencing 7th October, 1900 in the Howick General Hospital in Natal. In fact I assume that he was taken prisoner of war by the Boers as a newspaper article of July 1900 states that he was handed back to the British under a flag of Truce at Newcastle.   He was subsequently transferred by ship to England for further medical treatment and in the 190l English Census he was in the Herbert Hospital.  He was discharged some time later and returned to South Africa, Durban where he married and lived until his death in 1932 at the age of 59 years. (Myocardial failure).
 
This was why I could not understand that he would be on the Swedish Census in 1900.
 
I only wish that I can find out when he actually left Sweden and how, so that I can complete the picture.
 
Thank you for all your assistance,
Sincerely,
Rose.

[Elisabeth Thorsell]

Rosalie, as his family was in Landskrona still in 1900, the way to find out about yor grandfather is to look in the original records for Landskrona at this time.
 
Those records are kept by the Provincial Archives at Lund, and you can contact them by e-mail: landsarkivet@landsarkivet-lund.ra.se
The records are not yet available online or on microfiche.
 
Explain clearly what you want to know, adn where your family was in 1900, and they ought to be able to tell you what is recorded for your grandfather.

[Kurt Persson]

Rosalie, there are 3 parishes in Landskrona, Garnison- (military), Slotts- and Stads. You may check with EMIBAS if/when he got his certificate of emigration if he he ever got one. 5-10% of the people who emigrated just disappeared. This may be seen in the churchrecords as obefintlig.
If the Provincial Archives at Lund can find the family, you can either ask for a paper-copy or order a complete digitized book from www.digiarkiv.se  
Wee at EMIBAS Skåne would appreciate any feedback from You on this matter, as we are updating the databas continiously.
Regards
Kurt Persson

[Rosalie Enstrom]

Thank you Elisabeth and Kurt,
The information which you have given is much appreciated and obviously worth investigating as I would really like to trace his travels.
 
If I should have any success, I would be only too pleased to pass it on.
 
Sincerely,
 
Rose