What was the saddest death in your Tree ?

[bungleberry]

Not one of my ancestors (at least I don't think so!) but just take a look at the website of Old Bailey proceedings. I happened on 3 July 1828 and couldn't believe the number of death sentences on just that one day, e.g. a 19yr old for robbery of a 6d book and two halfcrowns, a 19yr old for housebreaking, etc etc. It was good to find, though, that some were never carried out.

Also a 14yr old transported for life for theft of a 3/- (15p) handkerchief. And many many more.

Also whippings of juveniles 'until their back was bloody'.

[stonechat]

Paula, I had meningitis aged one, and am still here 54 years later

Could easily have gone another way

Bob

[nort]

my ggg grandfather who drowned himself in Scotland in 1892 age 62.The newspaper report of the time said he had been in ill health and out of work for some time and in a despondent frame of mind.Two of his sons had died a few years before him ages 33 and 23.I often think about him and his wife and the life they must have had in those days.

Steve

[pennine]

My  Grandmother gave birth to triplets at home. The midwife came to deliver the babies. The first was born with the cord around his neck, grandma said he was blue but breathing with difficulty. The second baby was coming fast so the midwife placed first baby on one side to deliver number two and three. When she returned to the first baby he was dead. Grandma still had him christened and had a funeral for him. I could weep every time I think of that tiny coffin. That child would have lived today but back in the 1920's child birth was very unsafe.
Pennine

[islander]

My great Grandmother lost her husband in the morning and her year old son in the evening. Her husband from a heart attack and her son from fever.  She registered the deaths herslf the next day.

She had seen her two brothers die before she was nine.  Her father hung himself when she was 10.  Her mother died when she was 12.  Her first husband died when she was 6 months pregnant with my grandfather.

My youngest grand daughter, born last month, was named after her.

[indiapaleale]

I had already writtten in this thread about the very sad death of Agnes....

But...the truth be known...

The saddest death is my darling daughter, Julie, who died Jan 28 1997...aged 35.

I will never recover from this terrible event.....

9 years has not changed the pain.

[Webby]

My Ggrandmother who died just after giving birth in 1906.  Her death was given as childbirth and malnutrition she was 39 years old.

My Grandfather aged 18 at the time was left in charge of the family (8 including the baby for a short time).........because after the funeral.......my Ggrandfather took off to parts unknown......never to be heard of again!. 

[Bill749]

The saddest death is my darling daughter, Julie, who died Jan 28 1997...aged 35

That is the worst - we do not expect to outlive our children and to lose them in the prime of their life is something that must be truly awful to come to terms with.

My deepest sympathy Indiapaleale

[Shropshire Lass]

Bill and Indiapaleale -

The deaths closest to us have got to be the saddest.  How awful for you both - and all the other Rootchatters coping with recent deaths.

I have seen history programmes where experts have put forward the view that because deaths were more common in the past, eg. men in dangerous jobs, women giving birth and children dying from diseases, that people were not so affected by them.  I just don't believe this.  I'm sure that our ancestors felt the deaths of their nearest and dearest just as deeply as we do.

Monica