An interesting neighbourhood

It is common to characterise a residential area by the type of people commonly found there. We refer to the stockbroker belt or a battlers' suburb conveniently ignoring the fact that there may be a wide diversity of people in those communities.

In the course of confirming the residence of Robert and Eliza Jane McALLISTER on Howard Street South, I examined the 1901 edition of the The Belfast and Province of Ulster Directory. This listed their near neighbours as follows:

79. Holmes, Alex., plumber 81. Walker, Wm., linen lapper 83. Standhaft, P., professor of music 85. Ferguson, G., carpenter 87. Greer, A., brass founder 89. King, Mrs. 91. McKee, Mrs. 93. Welch, David, seaman 95. Stockman, S., linen lapper 97. McAllister, R., linen lapper 99. Lindsay, J., phrenologist 101. Davidson, W., hackle maker

80. Hutchinson, J., sail maker 82. Lightbody, W., boot maker 84. Russell, Wm., hide broker 86. McCloy, D., caulker 88. Clark, D., car driver 90. Maginnis, Ed., labourer 92. Thompson, Mrs. 94. Henderson, A., labourer 96. Welch, Chas., carpenter 98. Bell, Jas., winding master 100. Vacant

Some features of the list were not surprising. Two other men in the street also worked as linen lappers. The mill was probably within walking distance of their homes. James Bell from number 98 almost certainly worked at the same place. A winding master was responsible for securing the thread on the spindles before they were fitted to the loom.

Mr Davidson (at number 101) was not engaged in the manufacture of feather decorations for the bonnets of Highland warriors. The hackles that he made were combs used for separating the threads of flax at the beginning of processing.

Most of the rest of those on the list were employed in recognisable trades or as labourers; with the notable exception of Messrs Standhaft and Lindsay.

I have found no other reference to the Professor of Music at number 83. Although he is listed in the Directory, by the night of the Census there was someone else living in that house. Where did he go? Was he actually working as a musician or a teacher of music?

John Linday, the phrenologist, was aged 74 and living alone at the time of the Census although he described himself as "married". It is fascinating to speculate on what conversations he may have held with his neighbours, and on how they might have regarded him.

Taken together, they certainly made this neighbourhood hard to stereotype.

Gold in a School Admission Register

A wonderful source of information that many overlook is the School Admission Register that records family details at the time of initial enrolment and (sometimes) changes as a child moves through schooling.

In Queensland, these (mainly hand-written) records are available on microfilm at the State Archives, which also provides a detailed Search Procedure (#14) on how to use them.

It can be quite nostalgic to peruse the list of all those with whom you began school (especially so, if you have a class photo nearby); but the records can also provide intriguing insights into wider issues.

On my own first day of school in the 1950s, 101 new Grade 1 pupils were enrolled along with 26 children in higher grades. The most recent Annual Report of the same school reported that the whole school enrolment in 2011 (Years Prep to 7) stood at 194 and had been "stable" for several years.

Of the 101 new Infants, three were what is today described as being "in care" (that is, they were housed in a church-run institution). One of the 98 identified parents had the occupation listed as "housewife", all of the rest have a male parent in employment.

The most frequent single occupations listed were public servant (7) and clerk (7) just ahead of PMG employee (6) and soldier (6).

When occupations are grouped, the most frequent classifications were clerical (19) building and construction (13) motor trades (12) and communication (9).

There were very few professionals (two accountants, an architect, an engineer and a school teacher) or low-skilled workers (three hospital wardsmen, one waterside worker, a railway fettler, a school cleaner and a single general labourer).

In 2011 the school has an above-average rating for the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage, with 32% of enrolled students being drawn from the top quarter of parental incomes (albeit with 29% drawn from the lowest quarter). In just over half a century, the entire population of the area has been transformed.

The national census now collects data on the proportion of homes with broadband data connections rather than dial-up as a measure of technological sophistication. In my class group of the 1950s,just 20 families had a telephone number recorded as a means of contact.

Of course, we must remember that School Admission Registers were compiled by one person writing in information provided by another and interpret them with appropriate caution. My own date of birth is incorrect; with the "wrong" month. Just why, is a tale for another time.