George Cree's 1919 Claim for a Pension

[Trevor Cree]

County Down Census Substitutes

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~meaneypj/Co_Down_...

The following claim by George Cree for a pension in 1919 is very interesting since the final entry states that "Family not found" and therefore it might be assumed that he did not receive a pension. However the marriage of George Cree and his wife Jane Cree can be found on the 2nd November 1869 when he is stated to be of "Full age" and his wife Jane a "Minor". On the marriage certificate his father is stated to be William Cree, weaver, and her father Andrew Cree, farmer.

In the 1901 census George Cree states his age as 50 yrs (1851) and his wife Jane Cree as 49 yrs (1852). In the 1911 census George Cree gives his age as 61 yrs (1850) and his wife Jane Cree as 60 yrs (1851). This may explain why George was not found in the 1851 census. Hopefully he did later receive his pension since he was clearly entitled to it.  

Claim for a pension for those over 70 years

Claim No: 1873

Census Year Requested Search: 1851

Claimants First Name: George

Claimants Surname: Cree

Claimants Father: William Cree

Claimants Mother: Jane Ball

Townland: Hill Hall

Parish: Drumbeg

Age Given: 70 years

Date of Claim: 29 December 1919

Notes and Date Returned: Family not found

 

[Mike Spathaky]

Trevor, You say that George Cree was justified in claiming his pension on the basis of his being of full age at marriage in 1869. However it may be that he was not actually of full age. It was not uncommon for people to say they were of full age and so avoid the need for parental permission. The NI death indeed states he was 81 at his death in Lisburn Reg. District in 1932. That would mean he was born in 1850 or 1851. Thus he would have been only 68 or 69 in 1919 - just short of the 70 needed for a pension.