Genealogy Chat

Seeing as I couldn't find a birth for my gtgt gran I decided to look for her death as I had a little more info. I hoped that the death cert would have a titbit of info that I hadn't got on it.... Well hats off to the GRO, the cert got here in 3 days, BUT I think it is the wrong one!! Cont. in a mo.

Firstly, a medical officer at the infirmary registered the death. Was this usual if someone died in a hospital? I of course was hoping a family member had registered the death so I could be certain I had the right cert. Second, while the woman's name, occ, age all seemed to add up, the hospital was in a workhouse which seems unlikely as I know the family were well off, unless a workhouse infirmary took non resident as patients? Thirdly, if it does turn out to be the wrong cert, would anyone like it? It is for Alice Stevens aged 34, dressmaker, who died 20th Nov 1903 at and was registered by a medical officer at Shoreditch Infirmary. (Haggerston) If this sounds like one of your rellies, you are very welcome to it. Fourthly, I was under the impression that FreeBMD was complete for deaths between 1900 and 1904 which is the exact period I am looking at, but no other Alice seems to fit. Could it be possible that it is not as complete as I thought? Sorry to bombard you with questions, but at least if this isn't my rellie someone may be able to claim her. TIA Claire xx

Does the age and everything else fit? Yes, workhouses were often used as hospitals as they normally had a little infirmary built on to them. I notice some of mine were born in a workhouse and I know they werent totally destitute. Cant rely on freebmd to be complete it wont be for many years. You could spend a fiver or so on familyrelatives.org because that is brilliant for the period of 1866-1920 and will bring up every possible match for your name. If you know the rough years and area, even better.

Thanks for that. All is not yet lost then ;o) Yes the age.occ are correct. The area is a little off though but interestingly, the cause of death is something that runs in our family, hmmm..... I will go and check out the site you mentioned. Claire xx

Workhouses were often the only hospitals around and all sorts of people used them. A lot of the older hospitals around today started life as workhouses. Kath. x

Claire, I have got a few credits for Familyrelatives, If you like I'll have a look, if Alice is the only reason you're buying credits. Let me know Sam

Thanks for the reply Kathleen. :o) Smiley Sammy, that is a very kind offer but someone has generously looked through 1837 for me. Am I right in thinking they are the same records? It would be a shame to duplicate the work. Thanks again for the offer. You are all so kind. Claire xx

Claire Workhouse infirmaries were used as hospitals for people and many were turned into NHS hospitals later on. So its quite plausible that your rellie would have died there. Secondly, it was generally a close relative who registered the death, but if this wasn't possible then a hospital employee could do so. From clara.net: 'By 1875 the relationship of the informant to the deceased was given - together with additional qualifications such as 'present at the death' or 'in attendance'. People not related to the deceased but present at the death still qualified, but only 'present at the death' would be shown. The occupier (usually the owner) of a house or institution (usually the master of the workhouse) still qualified but in addition the following had been added a person who found the body inmate of a house or institution - this was a person living at the same address who knew of the event person causing the burial person in charge of the body nell

Thanks for the added info Helen. Unfortunately the info on the cert (1903) seems quite scanty. All it says is the name of the informant, and that they were a medical officer residing at the infirmary. :o( Perhaps then this Alice had no relations.