Madras - not British subject

[Anstey Nomad]

Does anyone knows what it means when a census enumerator bothers to write 'Madras - not British Subject' on a census return, rather than the usual wording confirming that the person is a British subject.

If she was born in Madras (c1803) and was not a British subject, does this mean she was Indian?

I'd appreciate any insight on this.

AN

(trying not to have an RPJ moment)

[Finbar]

Not necessarily Indian AN, but having origins in a country other than Britain.

(At least that's my reading of the situation. :o)

[Olde Crone]

My reading would be "I am not a British subject because my father was not a British subject". (Doesn't matter what nationality the mother was, of course).

I don't think you can draw any conclusions other than yer man was born in Madras and his father was not a British subject.

OC

[Anstey Nomad]

Thanks both - we thought her father was probably from Yorkshire.

Was Yorkshire independent in the early 1800s...or did they just wish they were?

AN

[Uncle John]

There was a People's Republic of South Yorkshire, but Mrs. Thatcher abolished it.