The fourth census of Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) was taken on Monday 30th May 1831. The returns gave a population of 16.5 million people, an increase of 1.9 million over 1821. There were 2.85 million inhabited buildings, occupied by 3.4 million families.
The Census Act 1831, was titled,
"An Act for taking an Account of the Population of Great Britain, and the increase or diminution thereof".
The following questions to be answered by the overseers of the poor in England and Wales, and for schoolmasters in Scotland:
1. How many inhabited houses are there in your parish, township or place; by how many families are they occupied?
2. How many houses are now building, and therefore not yet inhabited?
3. How many other houses are uninhabited?
4. What number of families in your parish, township or place, are chiefly employed in and maintained by agriculture; how many families are chiefly employed in and maintained by trade, manufacture or handicraft; and how many families are not comprised in either of the two preceding classes?
The number of males, 'upwards of twenty years' was to be given for seven economic categories. These were those employed in:
a). agriculture (sub-divided into occupiers of land who employed labourers, other occupiers of land, and agricultural labourers);
b). manufacture;
c) retail trade or handicrafts;
d) as capitalists, merchants and professionals;
e) as miners, fishermen, non-agricultural labourers;
f) those retired or disabled;
g) those employed as servants.
In addition a schedule of the Act of 1830 carried the following questions to be answered by the clergy in England and Wales:
1. What was the number of baptisms and burials in your parish or chapelry, in the several years 1821, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30; distinguishing males from females?
2. What was the number of marriages in your parish or chapelry, in the several years 1821-1830
3. Be pleased to specify, on the schedule annexed for that purpose, the ages of individuals registered in your burial register in the several years from 1813 to 1830, both inclusive.
4. What number of illegitimate children may have been born in your parish or chapelry during the year 1830, according to the best information you possess or can obtain; and distinguish male and female children?
5. Are there any matters, which you think it necessary to remark, in explanation of your answers to either of the preceding questions? Especially whether any and what annual average number of baptisms, burials and marriages, may, in your opinion, taken place in your parish, without being entered in the parish registers?
The information for Stapleford Tawney appears not to have survived. However in the Essex Record Office there is a copy of the Schedule for Stapleford Tawney, completed by the Rector Giving some of the information he was required to submit:
Baptisms:
Years
Male
Female
Total
1821
2
4
6
1822
5
11
16
1823
3
4
7
1824
4
4
8
1825
1
8
9
1826
4
5
9
1827
6
7
13
1828
5
0
5
1829
9
4
13
1830
4
3
7
Burials:
Years
Males
Females
Total
1821
5
1
6
1822
2
1
3
1823
1
4
5
1824
3
2
5
1825
2
2
4
1826
2
5
7
1827
7
2
9
1828
-
1
1
1829
6
2
8
1830
1
-
1
In addition each parish was required to:
Be pleased to specify on the Schedule annexed for that Purpose, the Ages of Individuals registered in your Burial Register in the several Years from 1813 to 1830, both inclusive.
The return for Stapleford Tawney shows the age of individuals when they died of both male and females for the period. In some years there were no deaths recorded.
Age
Male
Female
Under one year
7
6
1
2
2
1
1
3
2
1
5
1
-
7
1
-
8
1
2
12
1
14
1
18
1
1
19
-
1
20
1
-
21
1
1
22
1
-
23
1
-
24
-
1*
25
-
1
26
-
1
30
2
-
35
1
-
36
1
-
37
1
1
40
-
2
42
1
-
43
1
-
45
2
-
52
-
1
53
1
-
55
-
2
56
1
-
57
1
-
58
1
-
60
-
3
61
1
-
65
1
-
67
2
-
69
1
1
71
1
-
75
1
-
76
-
1
77
2
-
83
1
-
84
-
1
87
1
*Belinda Smith, 24, wife of Sir Charles Smith, Bart., Suttons, buried 29 January 1825. Sir Charles was to die aged 30 and buried on the 27th Jan 1831