Case Study A – Tower Hamlets

1. Look at Source One and answer these questions.

Source one- 1921 Census record- The National Archives (RG15/1430)

• What job does this family do? What type of building is this?
• What does it show about the food people eat? Why can’t people store meat for a long time?
• What benefit do the children have because of their father’s job?
• What else can you learn about this family?

2. What questions do you have about this family that are not answered by the census record? Write these down and keep them.

3. Study Sources two to four and answer these questions.

Source two- 1911 Census record- The National Archives (RG14/1412)

• What do you learn about the family from this earlier census?

Source three- Grove road street directory (list of people and jobs)-  Kelly’s Directories Ltd, 1920

• Can you find James Hopwood on this list? What does this record tell you about jobs in the area?

Source Four- Photographs of Hopwood family (1912 and 1924)- Tower Hamlets Local History Library and Archives (P20885)

• What do you learn about the family from these photographs?

4. Look at the questions you wrote earlier. Check which ones have been answered by the other sources. What further questions do you have about the family or life in the 1920s?