RootsChat.Com
Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: GrandpaT on Thursday 03 November 11 15:20 GMT (UK)
-
Puzzled and intrigued by the complete absence of any cause of death on the att Scottish statutory death cert from 1867.
Other entries on adjoining folios had something written in every column; on one entry just the phrase 'No medical attendance'
I was always of the opinion that Scottish death certificates provided far more than the English equivalent, so is this instance rare, or fairly commonplace?
Seems a bit strange to me
What does anyone else think?
Certificate image removed. Only a small portion of BMD certficates may be posted for clarification.
-
Now I'm puzzled and intrigued too.... I've never seen anything like this, and I've looked at many a Scottish DC. But I'm no expert, hopefully one will be along soon.
Anni
-
I remembered seeing a similar thread
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=559388.0
Perhaps Graham's suggestion on there could be some help?
Alexander
-
It is unusal not to have a cause of death on the certificate :-\ I had thought Mary's death might be connected to childbirth (with William's birth that year) but her death was seven months later so not that obvious...
Hopefully as linked by Alexander, Graham's suggestion of a possible link to the Register of Corrected Entries may be there.
Monica
-
Examined the original image and sadly no evidence of a possible link to the Register of Corrected Entries in evidence anywhere on the page.
The plot thickens! Any further suggestions?
-
Her husband was present at her death, so she clearly wasn't found dead somewhere
Occasionally there is a cause of death noted in the burial record (at least in England) Do you know where she was buried?
-
No I don't I must pursue that
-
If there was no medical attendant then the cause of death could not have been recorded
-
I am hesitating with my suggestion as I cannot remember where or when I read this, but I seem to recall that where the cause of death was thought to be suicide, and the "officials" were sympathetic, this might be omitted from the death certificate to allow burial in consecrated ground???
-
http://www.medicalprotection.org/uk/scotland-factsheets/the-procurator-fiscal-and-fatal-accident-inquiries
This is the position today, if the death was unexpected and no medical attendant present.
PM
-
Can anyone help with the reported place of death in Lesmahagow as shown on the extract. Difficult to decipher but looks like 'Birniebeg' or 'Birniebog'. Can then hopefully trace a burial record
-
I think you have it correct as Birniebog. It also comes up as Birnybog from other google entries. Have a look at this old post http://news.rootsweb.com/th/read/LANARK/2006-03/1141826573
If you remember from the other post on the Thomson family we were trying to get the links to Corehouse and the family. If you look at the link above, you will see also effectively the enumerator's walk from 1841 which links Corehouse Estate and Brinybog.
Monica
-
Re no medical attendant ...... this sadly was quite a normal state of affairs. By 1893 medical certification was applicable in just over 90% of deaths reported in the main cities but in rural areas this fell to around 42%. Normally some estimation was given by relatives e.g. "old age", "visitation by God" but strangely although it was compulsory to report a death it was not compulsory to provide a cause of death.
See http://www.gla.ac.uk/departments/scottishwayofbirthanddeath/death/
-
Excellent article and very useful background.
Seems I must suspend my disbelief and just accept that whilst unusual its not unprecedented.
Still want to check out the burial aspect though!
-
I think you have it correct as Birniebog. It also comes up as Birnybog from other google entries. Have a look at this old post http://news.rootsweb.com/th/read/LANARK/2006-03/1141826573
If you remember from the other post on the Thomson family we were trying to get the links to Corehouse and the family. If you look at the link above, you will see also effectively the enumerator's walk from 1841 which links Corehouse Estate and Brinybog.
Monica
Just before your post I had checked out the enumerators walk link you provided, and yes you are correct the link is clear - Thanks