McGonagall in the Census

Starting in 1841, the British government undertook to conduct a census of all its subjects every ten years. William Mcgonagall therefore appears in seven censuses and they provide a fascinating series of snapshots of his changing circumstances and fortunes.

The following census records are derived from the on-line records available at the Scotland’s People website.

1841

William’s first appearance in the record – his first appearance in any official document – is also his most controversial. In his autobiographies, and in later censuses, he would claim to have been born in Edinburgh. However, here his birthplace is given as Ireland. What’s going on? It’s possible that he would want to cover the stigma of being an Irish immigrant by falsifying his birthplace. It’s also quite possible that a busy enumerator faced with a clutch of McGonagalls all born in different places simply classified them all as Irish. Maybe it was filled in by a neighbour who knew that baby Margret had been born locally but didn’t know about the others. We’ll probably never know for sure.

The census does at least confirm that William followed his father into the trade of the hand loom weaver.

1851

Ten years have passed and much has changed in the life of young William. In 1846 he had married Jean King, and here he is the head of his own household and with the beginnings of his own family. Admittedly he’s having to share with (presumably) his mother- and brother-in-law but it’s a start.

The enumerator seems to have assumed that the two young children in the house were Kings. Later censuses make it clear that they were the first of William & Jean’s own family. One wonders also how much confusion was caused by all the menfolk in the house being called William…

1861

Another decade has passed and the McGonagall family is growing apace. Young William and Margaret have acquired three younger siblings and are beginning to contribute to the family income. Further help comes from a lodger who is, we assume, either Jean’s sister or her niece.

We might also note that William has begun to be cagey about his year of birth. In the ten years since the last census, the future poet has only aged by six years, and also become a year younger than his wife instead of a year older.

1871

Ten years on and the last of William & Jean’s children has been born. Four of the older children are working, but Margaret has flown the nest and is making a living on her own somewhere.

1881

It’s been a most eventful ten years since the previous census. Most notably, of course, William has received the gift of poetry, though the enumerator clearly isn’t sure that “Poet” is a proper occupation for a working man.

Elsewhere, in 1873, Margaret has “got into trouble” and given birth to an illegitimate son. She’s not returned to the family fold, but the poet’s first grandchild is welcome – provided he can find space in a dwelling with no fewer than eight (by the standards of the time) adult occupants. Little Andrew is also the first member of the family to benefit from the new 1875 Education Act – he’s going to school!

Joseph has made a break from the family’s preference for the textile industry and got a job in the dockyard. Meanwhile Charles has found an unusual profession making the wood and iron combs, or “hackles” used in the linen industry.

1891

As William’s period in Dundee nears its end, the enumerator is no happier with his stated profession and tacks on a proper job just to make sure. He’s not noticed that Andrew is not really a son of the householders, given his scandalous origins his grandparents are probably happy to leave it that way.

1901

McGonagall’s final entry comes from Edinburgh. The bureaucracy of the Scottish capital has no problem accommodating a man working as a poet, but does that make him a worker? A dutiful younger daughter has followed to help look after her parents in their last days.