Ashford, 1840 - 1870: a Socio-demographic Study

UKDA study number:2948

Principal Investigators

Drake, M.
Pearce, C.
University of Kent at Canterbury. Centre for Research in the Social Sciences

Sponsor

Economic and Social Research Council

Distributed by

UK Data Archive, University of Essex, Colchester.

November 1992

Bibliographic Citation

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Drake, M. and Pearce, C., Ashford, 1840 - 1870: a Socio-demographic Study [computer file]. Colchester, Essex: UK Data Archive [distributor], November 1992. SN: 2948, http://dx.doi.org/10.5255/UKDA-SN-2948-1.

Acknowledgement

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Copyright:
No information recorded

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2948 . Ashford, 1840 - 1870: a Socio-demographic Study

Depositor:

Drake, M. , Open University

Principal Investigators:

Drake, M. , University of Kent at Canterbury. Centre for Research in the Social Sciences

Pearce, C. , University of Kent at Canterbury. Centre for Research in the Social Sciences

Sponsor:

Economic and Social Research Council

Abstract:

The Ashford study aimed to create a machine-readable database of information relating to the social and economic activities of the inhabitants of Ashford in the mid to late nineteenth century. Material has been transcribed from the census enumerator's books, civil registers of births, marriages and deaths, poll books, trade directories and Parliamentary sessional papers listings of landowners. Each source is held as a separate data file containing the following information:
1) Census data: the data consists of all persons residing in Ashford and surrounding rural areas on the night of the censuses of 1841, 1851 and 1861. However, the data file for 1841 is only a partial transcript as some of the original enumerator's books are missing. The data comprise one record for each individual transcribed as recorded in the source with some additional information.
2) Civil register data: The data comprise all marriages which took place in Ashford churches between 1837 and 1870, in total about 1600, of which around 600 were in non-conformist churches. Also recorded are births and deaths registered in the Ashford division of the West Ashford Union, including the parishes of Bethersden, Great Chart, Hothfield, Kingsnorth, Shadoxhurst and Ashford. For each marriage two records were prepared, one for the husband and for the wife thereby retaining all details of the marriage. Births and deaths are recorded as in the original source with some minor coding.
3) Directory data: The data comprise details of various members of the community including local officers, gentry, professionals, shopkeepers and traders.
4) Electoral data: The data comprise details of enfranchised members of constituencies and how they cast their votes in the Parliamentary elections of 1852, 1857, 1863 and 1868.
5) Landowners data: The data comprise details of landowners, land and estimated rental for all those people with addresses in the East or West Ashford Union who owned land in Kent.

Main Topics:

The data files may be analysed separately or linked and merged to provide a means of evaluating and quantifying aspects of the lives of the people of Ashford over a period of time. The data may be of interest for a wide range of topics, for example, fertility patterns, marriage patterns, household structure and composition, migration, (during this period Ashford experienced a large influx of migrants associated with the newly built railway works), economic activities, social composition.

Coverage:

Time Period Covered: 1837 - 1874
Dates of Fieldwork: 1968 - 1972
Country: England
Geography: Ashford; Bethersden; Great Chart; Hothfield; Kingsnorth; Shadoxhurst; Kent
Spatial Units: No information recorded
Observation Units: Individuals; Families/households
Kind of Data: Textual data; Numeric data; Individual (micro) level

Universe Sampled:

Location of Units of Observation: Subnational
Population: Inhabitants of Ashford and the five parishes of Bethersden, Great Chart, Hothfield, Kingsnorth and Shadoxhurst, from 1840-1870

Methodology:

Time Dimensions: Time Series
Sampling Procedures: No sampling (total universe)
However the 1841 Census is incomplete and does not cover the whole area.
Method of Data Collection: Compilation or synthesis of existing material
Data Sources: Trade directories: the directories of Ashford used in this study are those produced by the Post Office in 1851, 1855, 1867 and 1874, together with the directory published by Pigot and Co. in 1839. Census enumerator's books. Parliamentary sessional papers; the Parliamentary sessional papers for 1874 contain listings of the owners of land of at least one acre. Poll Books. Civil registers. (Access to the registers was granted to the research team by special permission).

Language(s) of Written Materials:

Study Description: English

Access:

Access Conditions: The depositor has specified that registration is required. Available to all registered users. The depositor may be informed about usage.
Availability: History Data Service, UK Data Archive
Contact: Help desk: hds@essex.ac.uk

Date of First Release:

9 November 1992

Copyright:

No information recorded

File last updated:

11 October 2011