Mid 19th Century Essex Epidemics

[JacobeaM]

Hi all,

While compiling information on my Shorten ancestors, who lived around the three Belchamp villages, I couldn't help but notice that there seemed to be a high number of deaths, particularly children, in the decades 1840 through to 1880 (and worst in the 1850s/early 1860s). My 2x great-grandfather, for example, was one of eight, of whom six died before they were twenty years old. 

Of course, it could just simply be very bad luck, but I'm curious to know what, if any, epidemics were going about (north) Essex during the mid 19th Century, if anyone knows.   

Many thanks

~ Chloe

[essexpoet]

Hi Chloe,

The same question has made me curious in the past. I did some research some time ago (cannot remember the sources I tried) but the main culprit seemed to be Cholera with possibility of Influenza. Smallpox was about and was usually recorded as such on the burial records - there were cases in Belchamp Walter and Bulmer (another Shorten stronghold !)
I found a case of father, mother (both in their 20's) and infant child all dieing in the same month in 1831 in Belchamp Walter.
Of course infant mortality was very high anyway compared with today and for a mother to die during childbirth was not uncommon.

Kind regards
Mike

[essexpoet]

Hi again,

Just found some notes - The 1831 deaths I found tied in with a major Cholera epidemic . The period you are looking (some 20 or so years later) seems to in the time that there were some Typhus and Diphtheria epidemics in the UK.

Kind regards
Mike