The Diary of Nathaniel Bryceson Revisited

[alpinecottage]

The 29 Oct 1847 was a Friday, so I'd guess she would have died between 25th and 28th Oct, prob 26th or 27th.

Just going to check something.

[alpinecottage]

Just went to look at getting certs from the local record offices (in case Mary's cert hadn't been sent up to General Register Office).

Marylebone comes under Westminster Local Register Office, applications are by post with a cheque.

Holborn and St Pancras come under Camden, but because they have so many sub districts, a fee of £10 is payable to search for which subdistrict it is plus another fee of £10 to pay for the certificate.  Again applications by post with 2 separate cheques this time.

Neither Office seems very user-friendly - applicants need to know more or less  exactly where events took place to order a certificate, so it looks like a letter to the GRO with as many details as poss. is the only realistic option.   

[Ruskie]

Thanks for all that research Alpine.  A letter it will be.

I am a bit unsure about how I pay for this though if I have to apply via a letter. The link provided by the GRO just takes me to the usual online ordering page - an alternative is that I can print out the application form (but there is nowhere on it to add further information). Presumably I need to print out the form, fill in Mary's details, supply credit card details, and attach an additional letter explaining the situation.

It's not too clear though ....

I think that the St Pancras death may be our Mary (as Deb suspects) - Granny Shepherd died in the infirmary in the Parish of St Pancras in 1851 so maybe Mary did too?.

Nah, I'm feeling lazy .... I am going to order the St Pancras death certificate. I reckon that is our Mary.   

[alpinecottage]

Well, that's better than a 30% chance of being the correct one!

In the occupation section, dare you put "middle-aged lady - not infant or child".  That would eliminate a large category of wrong deaths 

[Ruskie]

I've just ordered it. I left the age blank in case the infirmary or workhouse staff either put incorrect age or didn't know her age.  Writing "middle aged woman" might have been a good plan (but too late now).

I just couldn't be bothered with the fuss of the other method, not to mention the waiting time. The St Pancras certificate will be dispatched on the 17th Jan, so not too long to wait. I am feeling confident.

I will obviously let everyone know the minute I receive it. 

[Ruskie]

 
Wrong Mary Ward. This one was a spinster who died from Influenza on 4th Dec, New Millman St, St Pancras ......giving up now I think .....
 

[Siamese Girl]

I did always wonder if her death was ever registered - it was still early days with the system and I think she might just be one of those who slipped through unrecorded

Carole

[Ruskie]

You are probably right Carole. The other family members seem to be registered, but it may have been different for Mary if she was away from home .... it's a bit disappointing.

[alpinecottage]

What a shame!

But I have a pet theory that many events which were registered didn't make it to the GRO and hence onto the national index.  Imagine how easy it would be for a record to be overlooked at the transcription stage at the local office and then again when all the local returns were collated at GRO.  Some local clerk, doing what must have been a boring job, finding himself unable to read some bad handwriting or being distracted and losing where he was up to, or turning two pages at once could easily have missed some records.  A similar example is my 2xgreat grandmother (died 1850's) who was buried in Manchester with date of death, burial and cause recorded in the cemetary records, but there's apparently no death cert for her.  In her case, I'm hoping that when LancsUKBMD transcribers finish the transcriptions from the local register offices' records, her death cert will appear then.  I don't know whether the London area register  offices are allowing the same thing, but there's always hope, if we can wait that long......