Genes Reunited Blog
Welcome to the new Genes Reunited blog!
- We regularly add blogs covering a variety of topics. You can add your own comments at the bottom.
- The Genes Reunited Team will be writing blogs and keeping you up to date with changes happening on the site.
- In the future we hope to have guest bloggers that will be able to give you tips and advice as to how to trace your family history.
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Read about historical events at the time they were happening. Perhaps you'll discover your ancestor in their local newspaper?
April Fool and her family revealed in the 1911 Census
Husband was Marchant Fool
Children named Jan, May, June and Augustus Fool
Ever wondered who makes up a real-life family of Fools? Well now you can find out thanks to a hilarious discovery we've made in the 1911 Census.
Meet April Fool, a 45 year old mother of four living with her baker husband Marchant Fool, 50, in Cheetham, Manchester in 1911. April was an April Fool by marriage but she and her husband clearly shared a sense of humour when it came to naming their brood. Unbelievably, joining them in the 1911 Census are daughters Jan (17 years), May (15 years) and June Fool (11 years), and son Augustus Fool (8 years).
Interestingly April Fool did not only spend her daily life raising her family of Fools, she also worked as an entertainer – clearly a talent for comedy matched by her family name and her job as well.
Image of April Fool's 1911 Census record
Rhoda Breakell, head of genesreunited.co.uk said: "April Fool and her family of fools is an extraordinary record in the 1911 Census and anyone wanting to see it can easily view it on the genesreunited.co.uk blog without searching until midday today, so you can go take a look! Searching the records can reveal all sorts of funny names and unusual family circumstances - it's really satisfying when you find a particular gem that provides a unique snapshot of life at the time or simply makes you laugh."
Forget Year of the Dragon it's Year of the Fool!
It seems like 1911 was the year of the 'Fool' with not only the discovery of April Fool and her family but also a further 29 people recorded in the 1911 Census with that surname.*
Interestingly, also revealed in the 1911 Census was a Susan Augusta Fool living in Mere, Wiltshire at the time the Census was taken. Susan was a widow but perhaps if she'd had children she may have followed the same naming theme that April Fool took.
Breakell continued: "Researching your family tree is a great way of learning about your ancestors and a fascinating exploration into your own history. You never know what you might find!"
Comments
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What a wonderful story for me to come across on April Fools day as well :-)
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would you like your surname to be made a fool of, all over the internet?
Think not! |
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Have you found the decendants of April & her family?
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