I had been informed by my mother that her grandfather died when he fell off his horse after it was struck by lightning. So was the story told to her by my grandmother, who in turn, it appears, was also given the story (I don't think she made up the story as she was only young when her father died)
As 'facts' handed down are not always proved to be correct, I sent off for his death certificate. He died in a lynatic asylum, the cause of death given as ' General Paralysis 12 months'. In my naivity I believed that this meant he had not died from the fall but become paralysed and, sadly, been put in an asylum.
I have since been put right in my assumptions, and that 'General Paralysis' was a rife disease suffered by mainly men of 'suspectible morals'. It was a result of syphilis!
It led me to wonder what reasons other people may have on their death certificates.
I have one from 1879, that simply says the cause of death was 'old age' (she was 90!)
I also have one from 1908 - ' accidently killed by being knocked down by a charabanc'. Unforntuately, this turned out not to be the person I thought it was, and no relation.
What other odd causes are to be found out there? ..............
