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Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: Tracey Joy Kelly on Wednesday 05 July 17 04:37 BST (UK)

Title: newspapers
Post by: Tracey Joy Kelly on Wednesday 05 July 17 04:37 BST (UK)
hullo
would a death in 1863 be in the newspapers?  what newspapers are in England? what links can I go to .. to see if I can find out the cause of a death
I have found that my great great great uncle Alfred died on 8th April 1863. he was 23 years old
I was just wondering how he could of died so young
does each place have different papers.
he was in wellclose square, st George in the east
Title: Re: newspapers
Post by: nanny jan on Wednesday 05 July 17 06:22 BST (UK)
The best way to find the cause of a death is to buy a copy of the death certificate; cost £9.25 from GRO.

https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/default.asp

Title: Re: newspapers
Post by: Girl Guide on Wednesday 05 July 17 06:39 BST (UK)
Was your Alfred this one?

   
Name:   Age at Death (in years)  24   
WHEATLEY, ALFRED       
GRO Reference: 1863  J Quarter in SAINT GEORGE IN THE EAST  Volume 01C  Page 303
Title: Re: newspapers
Post by: maddys52 on Wednesday 05 July 17 07:37 BST (UK)
As a resident of Australia, you can join the National Library of Australia
http://www.nla.gov.au/
Their eresources include (amongst many other databases) British Library Newspapers which have newspapers from 1600-1950. Death notices and obituaries depend on the time and the person, but it's quite amazing what you can find!

Added: Had a quick look but couldn't see anything about Alfred's death, though there is a report about a George WHEATLEY (20) who died in a boating accident.
Title: Re: newspapers
Post by: Tracey Joy Kelly on Wednesday 05 July 17 07:38 BST (UK)
thank you :) I don't have the funds to buy certificates at this stage

yes I believe that is the Alfred thank you

thank you maddy I will definitely check out the national library of australia
Title: Re: newspapers
Post by: rosie99 on Wednesday 05 July 17 07:42 BST (UK)
You may not have much success with newspapers as not many London papers appear online.  It is possible that there is no report on his death as many people died young through illness
Title: Re: newspapers
Post by: Ruskie on Wednesday 05 July 17 07:47 BST (UK)
The wealthy may have taken a notice in a newspaper, but it would not be the norm for most folks.

The mortality rate was very high amongst every age group. Diseases were rife especially in inner city areas like St George in the East.

Title: Re: newspapers
Post by: Ruskie on Wednesday 05 July 17 09:51 BST (UK)
Where did you get his address of Wellclose Sq, St George in the East?

Do you have Alfred with his family in the censuses? Is your Alfred the 21 year old in Abel's Buildings Whitechapel with parents James and Elizabeth in the 1871 census? Born Staffordshire?  :-\

Title: Re: newspapers
Post by: Ruskie on Wednesday 05 July 17 09:54 BST (UK)
Some beautiful atmospheric images of Well Close Square on the wonderful fascinating website Spitalfields Life:

http://spitalfieldslife.com/2012/12/30/the-lost-squares-of-stepney/
Title: Re: newspapers
Post by: Maiden Stone on Wednesday 05 July 17 14:06 BST (UK)
I've found death notices of some of my ancestors in 19thC regional newspapers. Mostly they are simply lists of names, with age, address + sometimes parents or spouse for each. There's more information if death was accidental or the person was better-off or locally well-known. Accidental death of a young man in Lancashire, son of a well-known businessman, was reported in a newspaper for the neighbouring county of  Westmorland. 
Title: Re: newspapers
Post by: Ruskie on Wednesday 05 July 17 14:38 BST (UK)
Very true Maiden Stone. The newspapers also seemed to relish recounting tragic or particularly gory deaths in great detail.
Title: Re: newspapers
Post by: Tracey Joy Kelly on Wednesday 05 July 17 15:07 BST (UK)
hi ruskie  yes that is the Alfred that I am talking about and thank you for the link I will check it out now
Title: Re: newspapers
Post by: Tracey Joy Kelly on Wednesday 05 July 17 15:09 BST (UK)
maiden stone 

yes  I think it may have been accidental   in one of the census it mentions that hes a messenger ..I kind of thought that he may of been run over or something
Title: Re: newspapers
Post by: Ruskie on Wednesday 05 July 17 15:11 BST (UK)
Don't let your imagination run away with you.  ;D Only the death certificate will be able to tell you his cause of death.
Title: Re: newspapers
Post by: Tracey Joy Kelly on Wednesday 05 July 17 15:19 BST (UK)
hahaha yeah I know  which is why I will keep searching.. one say I will put it on the bucket list to buy

thank you for that link.. it was very haunting.. I am actually thanking my ancestors that they moved to Australia lol
Title: Re: newspapers
Post by: Ruskie on Wednesday 05 July 17 15:29 BST (UK)
The houses around Wellclose Square, if they had survived would be worth millions today! They are/were beautiful. There have been some bad decisions and destruction in the area over the decades (and it continues) - quite sad.

Title: Re: newspapers
Post by: Tracey Joy Kelly on Wednesday 05 July 17 16:31 BST (UK)
oh really that is amazing   I will have to tell my family :)
Title: Re: newspapers
Post by: Polly Lynn on Tuesday 11 July 17 23:54 BST (UK)
I would agree with Ruskie about newspapers and add that the middle class too took out newspaper obituaries.  My family, middle middle class or lower middle class farmers, often had obituaries starting in about the 1840s (or 1860s?).  They were short death notices, some of them.  I found these at the local (county) library in Ireland (not the U.K.).  They were being indexed and the good librarian sent me all by the surname I was interested in.  The Northern Standard was that newspaper.  So I would write the county library and address the letter to the reference librarian there.  It never hurts to send a library the information you already have, they then put that on file for your future relative to find.
Title: Re: newspapers
Post by: Trishanne on Tuesday 25 July 17 18:21 BST (UK)
I have only come across this post today, but I also came across a report from the London Gazette 21 April 1863, I cannot access the full article because my subscription has run out so it may or may not be relevant. I can only get bare details which only use the surname and which are -
Wheatley was a very sober and steady young man and a good boatman............they were all perfectly sober when they started..........He didn't know whether Wheatley could swim or not.

As I say, it may not have anything to do with your Alfred Wheatley, but it would be worth seeing if you can locate the article.



Title: Re: newspapers
Post by: Blue70 on Tuesday 25 July 17 18:32 BST (UK)
How do we know the date of death? Do we have a burial record? If so does the burial record mention a coroner?


Blue
Title: Re: newspapers
Post by: maddys52 on Wednesday 26 July 17 04:22 BST (UK)
I have only come across this post today, but I also came across a report from the London Gazette 21 April 1863, I cannot access the full article because my subscription has run out so it may or may not be relevant. I can only get bare details which only use the surname and which are -
Wheatley was a very sober and steady young man and a good boatman............they were all perfectly sober when they started..........He didn't know whether Wheatley could swim or not.

As I say, it may not have anything to do with your Alfred Wheatley, but it would be worth seeing if you can locate the article.

I think this refers to George WHEATLEY who died around the same time, I saw the article and mentioned it in reply #3  ;)
Title: Re: newspapers
Post by: majm on Wednesday 26 July 17 04:51 BST (UK)
I have only come across this post today, but I also came across a report from the London Gazette 21 April 1863, I cannot access the full article because my subscription has run out so it may or may not be relevant. I can only get bare details which only use the surname and which are -
Wheatley was a very sober and steady young man and a good boatman............they were all perfectly sober when they started..........He didn't know whether Wheatley could swim or not.

As I say, it may not have anything to do with your Alfred Wheatley, but it would be worth seeing if you can locate the article.

Here's a live link to The Gazette, freely available, no subscription needed.

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/


The London Gazette 
Publication date:21 April 1863
Issue:22728
Page:2139


JM
Title: Re: newspapers
Post by: Tracey Joy Kelly on Tuesday 01 August 17 13:36 BST (UK)
thanks so much I will check it out :) I appreciate your help