Obituary for ancestor Wragby

[geoffs]

Hi

One of my Ancestors William Shore died in Wragby 18th Nov 1844.  My question is as he was a general labourer,  would it be likely that he had an obituary in a newspaper?  And if so which newspaper should I look at for this area.
 
many thanks
Geoff

[Tom Piper]

Hi Geoff,

Somehow I would doubt it, unless he did something remarkable or he died suspiciously, was the victim of a crime, committed suicide etc.

As for local newspapers for Wragby in 1844, I would suggest you try the Rutland & Stamford Mercury, which I am sure is on microfilm at Grimsby Library and no doubt at Lincoln library as well.

Other than that if it was me I would contact Lincoln library and see if they can help you.  This is the E-mail for Wragby itself:

 wragbycentre@lincolnshire.gov.uk or Lincoln:

http://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/section.asp?catid=2855&docid=28154

The paper itself: http://www.britishpapers.co.uk/england-emids/rutland-stamford-mercury/

Tom

[GeoffE]

I tend to agree with TP but I did once find one which said

NESBITT On 22 July 1845, Robert NESBITT Labourer of Charles St aged 48 years.

He certainly didn't sign his name at his 1833 marriage and one wonders whom exactly the obituary notice would have been hoping to inform.

[Tom Piper]

I have looked in 19th century British Newspapers and The Times online as he isn't there, but then on the 19th Century papers the only so called local newspaper covering Wragby was the Hull Packet.

Tom

[geoffs]

Thanks Tom and Geoff for your replies.  I am hoping to visit Lincon next week and shall definately have a look at the Rutland & Stamford Mercury Tom.  Thank you Tom for having a look,  as I suspected though he may not have had an obituary being a only labourer,  He died of Low fever so nothing suspicious either.  The Hull packet does seem a little far off for Wragby doesnt it.  I shall contact the libraries though perhaps I will save myself a journey.

Geoff

[Tom Piper]

Geoffs,

Obituaries have to be written by someone, if for a newspaper, then by a local reporter, using the information provided by the family of the deceased. So that pre-supposes that there was a local reporter in Wragby, and that the deceased had family close by willing to provided details for such an entry and the funds and reason to pay for such an obituary.

If  I was contacting Lincoln Library I would ask them if there was such a local newspaper in Wragby. What is "Low Fever" by the way? I have heard of Scarlet Fever, Yellow Fever, even High Fever, but not Low fever.

What is the purpose of finding an obituary?

Tom

[geoffs]

Tom,

I thought that a obituary had to be paid for by the family,  hence why I thought him being only a labourer they might not have enough money.  I seem to remember that he was also listed at one time as a cottager,  I believe this means he was a small scale farmer(small plot of land),  so maybe they had more money than I thought.

On his death certificate it says cause of death Low fever for 6 weeks.  Apparently Low fever is when the bodys temperature doesn't exceed 37-38 degrees,  and is usually the sign of another illness that can't be found.  Thats how I understand it anyway.

My reason for finding an obituary is to try and confirm sibblings and possible relations to William Shore.  Let me explain,  I have been to Lincolnshire archives and established that the William Shore in my family was born Branston 1795,  his mother was listed as Ann Shore no fathers name was given.  Branstons records for just before this time were damaged by fire and the records that still exist aren't in great condition, so hard to search.   I dont know if Ann Shore was a Shore by marriage or birth as I cant find either records.   I do believe she married though to William Walsham in Branston 1797 and moved to Kelstern they had a child Ann Walsham soon to be followed by other sibblings.  So I am assuming that William Walsham was William Shore father.

William Shore died in 1844 Wragby,  was married with children and as such was living with them on the 1841 census.  So I can't link him to the Walshams via the census.   I thought that an obituary might give some clues. 

Can you think of any other ways I might confirm this?   I did think of ordering marriage certificates for William Walshams children (perhaps William Shore was a witness),  but they all appear to have married before 1837!



Geoff




Ps It just dawned on me typing this that the witness names would still appear on parish records for marriage,  I will have to have a look next time I get to the Archives.

[GeoffE]

My thoughts on the father of Wm SHORE ... if Wm WALSHAM was father of Wm SHORE, I think perhaps the latter would have become WALSHAM for the rest of his life - not married as SHORE.  But one can never be sure.  If the baptism named only the mother, I think you can assume he was illegitimate.

Perhaps you already have Ann's burial at Kelstern, 24 Feb 1839 aged 66

Re occupations: an ancestor of mine on censuses was Farmer, AgLab, Farmer, Cottager.  When his daughter married she said simply "Labourer (dec)"

[geoffs]

GeoffE

Very interesting your thoughts on Wm Shores,  becoming Wm Walsham,  I hadn't thought about that.  I did have a look at the bastardly parish records to try and find a father but had no luck.  Can you think of any other way I could trace my ancestry back further?  I feel that I have gone as far as I can,  if only the Branston records hadn't been damaged.

Yes, I did have the death of Ann at Kelstern,  thanks.  Unfortunately if she was born 1773 Branston (I assume she was as it seems to be traditional to marry at the brides parish of birth), then that puts her birth right in the middle of the damaged Branston records.  I have had a look at the bishops transcripts as well but couldn't find anything,  they were very difficult to read and I was running out of time.

Many thanks
Geoff