Richard Glass, Ag Lab ~ Agricultural Labourer, 1841 Census

 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2025: Week 35 (OFF TO WORK)

In the 1841 Scottish Census my 4th great grandfather, Richard Glass, was noted as Ag Lab.

I briefly wondered if it was a scientific laboratory type employment, but in an earlier record I found him listed as a butcher so I thought that might be a stretch for 71 year old X4 great grandpa given his prior career.

Not knowing what 'Ag Lab' could be I began researching. 

I discovered it's short for Agricultural Labourer, 

"The term ag lab did not exist before the 1841 census returns. It began because census enumerators were instructed to it as an abbreviated occupational term. Before 1841 these workers were referred to as labourers, farm servants, servants of husbandry or other more descriptive and specific terms such as shepherd, ploughman, hedger and many more. Despite their speciality being named, they were certainly identifiable as those who were employed on the land. Family historians still perpetuate the term “ag lab”." 1

It was this census record that I discovered X4 great grandfather was born in England. This family line appeared to have been in North Berwick Scotland forever, and it was this record that let me know they arrived sometime before their first child was born in 1805.

X4 great grandma, Mary Wright, was born south of North Berwick in Eyemouth. 

Her family appears to have not been in North Berwick in the years after Richard & Mary are there.

I have not found their marriage registry so am unable to say if they met in North Berwick or if they moved their together.  

My X4 great grandparents:

Richard Glass

Birth ABT. 1770 • Wooler, Northumberland, England
Death 8 OCT 1847 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland

and

Mary Wright

Birth 5 Apr 1782 • Eyemouth, Berwickshire, Scotland

Death 1847 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland

Their children:

Robert Glass

Birth 12 SEP 1805 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
Death Unknown

Margaret Glass

Birth 26 MAR 1807 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland

Death Unknown

Agnes Glass

Birth 9 Jul 1809 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland

Death 10 MAY 1877 • Leith, Midlothian, Scotlan

Mary Glass

Birth 27 AUG 1811 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland

Death 25 SEP 1866 • Haddington, East Lothian, Scotland

Richard Glass

Birth 27 MAY 1813 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland

Death Unknown

Isabella Glass

Birth 7 JAN 1816 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland

Death 22 SEP 1866 • Humbie, East Lothian, Scotland

Andrew James Glass

Birth 16 APR 1818 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland

Death OCT 1898 • Wandsworth, Dunts Hill, London, England

James Glass (my X3 great grandfather)

Birth 21 MAR 1821 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland

Death 23 JAN 1895 • 30 High Street, North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland

John Glass

Birth 1 MAR 1824 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland

Death Unknown

Archibald Glass

Birth 2 MAY 1827 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland

Death Unknown

In looking at this branch of our Bramble Bush I realized the search continues since I have quite a bit of missing info on this line.

My X3 great grandfather James, my X3 great grandmother Mary, their 8 year old son Richard (my X2 great uncle.

There is much more to find when you go back and take another look!!! 

This is why I search - 

Cause ... 

You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!

***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***

Footnotes:

1  Ag Lab and the 1841 census. AGRICULTURAL LABOURERS. Farm workers in your ancestry. Explore Your Genealogy From the Family History Federation. Retrieved Aug 27th 2025 from
https://www.exploreyourgenealogy.co.uk/agricultural-labourers-1657

Sources:

Agricultural Labourer.---Ag. Lab. OCCUPATION. Directions.  1841 Census in Scotland. Talking Scot. Retrieved Aug 27th 2025 from
https://www.talkingscot.com/censuses/census-1841.htm#:~:text=Agricultural%20Labourer.,%2D%2D%2DCl.

Ag Lab and the 1841 census. AGRICULTURAL LABOURERS. Farm workers in your ancestry. Explore Your Genealogy From the Family History Federation. Retrieved Aug 27th 2025 from
https://www.exploreyourgenealogy.co.uk/agricultural-labourers-1657

1841 Census. Abbreviations to describe occupations. Census Abbreviations.  Family History. Retrieved Aug 27th 2025 from 
https://www.familyhistory.co.uk/census-abbreviations/

Photos:

Personal

Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/52-ancestors-in-52-weeks/

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