General Chat

Have just found out that my fathers older twin brothers both died aged 5 months in Walton Jail Liverpool. Were children imprisoned with their mother or was the prison hospital used for non convicts any information would be greatly appreciated.

A death certificate for one of them would give their usual home address, so this might clarify the situation.

Gwyn

Hi Gwyn
We do have death certificates and it does give a home address but does not explain the place of death

Christine,
The first box on the Death cert states *When & where died* that's is where they died.

Unless you have an unusual Death Cert other than the normal one from a prison !!

Hi Marilyn

Place of death is Walton Jail but it does state a home address as well
further along certificate but no other clues as to why they were there

Christine,
The other address is the informant 's address usually with the name of the informant .that registered the death

So who was the Informant ?

When did the deaths occur. I know that women who are pregnant when imprisoned keep their babies with them for a length of time but I would have thought that in that case the normal residence wouldn't apply.

What was the cause of death and who was the informant? It could be that the only available Doctor was in attendance at the prison.

Was this during WW2? There were conscientious objectors imprisoned in Walton and also it was used as an internment camp for people of hostile origin.

Of course, during the war it may have also been the only available hospital facility for the local people as I imagine, as a port, all the regular hospitals may have been used for injured servicemen.

Hi All

The twins died in 1907

Thanks. I would have thought that any death of a child who was resident in the prison would have to be reported through official channels and would not be registered by a parent. If the mother registered the death she couldn't have been in prison.

However, with the year being 1907 could the mother have been a suffragette? Walton had it's fair share of them I believe.

Theres a book about Suffrage available on googlebooks that you might be interested in if it turns out granny was involved. I've only found it in the last couple of minutes and I'm already hooked! Wonder if I can find my Suffragette mentioned.

The women's suffrage movement: a reference guide, 1866-1928
By Elizabeth Crawford

Hi All Again

The informants on both death certificates were nurses at Walton Gaol does that mean their mother was a inmate ?

awe thats so sad, poor thing
your dad never gave you any info ? bout his mam, or where born,
are there any family left

It certainly doesn't prove that Mum was in prison but its looking more likely.

Hi Julie Ann

Dads parents both died in 1921 when he was 7 he had 2 older sisters and 1 older brother none of his siblings would ever discuss their parents I am in contact with several cousins who are as equally baffled. It seems they took the family secret to the grave.The three older children were removed from the family and placed into the care of the Church in various homes but my Dad for some reason was left with them until they died.Both parents were born in Galway

thats awful sad,
maybe they came over with the potato famine
when was that,

they let um keep the baby cos it easier to feed him maybe

and the others sound like they were left angry over it,
thats so tragic, but good they kept in touch with each other,
do you know what killed your grandparents

Both parents came to england in 1880s they died within 24 hours of each other 20 and 21 april 1921 both of something Bronchial (not spanish flu)

that sounds like pneumonia, or TB,

They both died in Liverpool work house my Dad was also born there

You could try the Liverpool Records Office. They might have calendars of prisoners, or may be able to tell you where any records might be held.

Have just put in a freedom of information request to HMP Walton will see what that brings