information from a death cert

[ScouseBoy]

The phrase 'causing the body' either to be buried and more frequently today cremated, can infer that the informant wasn't the next of kin or close kin.

The phrase is generally used by hospital or nursing home staff, neighbours, solicitors and in the case illustrated the local priest.

      Or  by the Local Authority, perhaps?

[LizzieL]

One I have for a male from the mid 1840s is very sparse. Even the informant is not a family member, just a nurse - present at death. Although he was married and I have no reason to suppose they were estranged, because he provided well for his wife in his will.
I have always found far more useful information on DC of a female than a male. Under occupation it will often give wife/ widow of....  or daughter of .....  (if spinster).

[Andrew Tarr]

The commonest cause for the informant is 'present at the death', usually a family member of course, and occasionally an unexpected one.  When that is not the case - as maybe for a widow living alone - it may have been a nurse or 'carer', which can mean that the quoted age is several years out, as was the case with my gt-grandmother in Ireland.

I have another Victorian certificate giving the age as 77-3/4 (three-quarters).  Unusually precise.  Maybe she was very proud to have reached it, but it doesn't tally exactly with the birth data, about a year out.

[Marigold77]

Most usual info contained is: name/address of deceased (or place where he died) cause of death, if a time period is given eg; 14 days. This means that the deceased was under medical supervision/treatment for the 14 days prior to his death. Name and address of informant and if present at death. Ages of deceased can be misleading as sometimes the informant doesn't actually know the precise age so he might guess. So always take the age 'with a pinch of salt.

[pb3]

          Here's a modern copy of an original example. I think it's quite informative.

                               PatB.

Moderator comment: full certificate removed, sorry. Small portions only are allowed for deciphering purposes

[ScouseBoy]

In my experience,  the first thing prior to visiting the register office,    is  that  a medical certificate of death  is given to the next of kin  (or potential informant)   in a special printed envelope.   Helpful information is given  on what information the registrar  will ask of the Informant.   That should give the informant time and opportunity     to  find out the date of birth if they do not already have that.

But yes,  I recognise that if you are registering the death  of  an auntie or uncle   you may nt have all the correct information at your fingertips.

[Andrew Tarr]

          Here's a modern copy of an original example. I think it's quite informative.

If possible, it may be better to use the original image (which is what one gets now), not a typed or handwritten copy.  My wife and her cousin independently got written copies of an ancestor's death cert; one said he was a Tanner, the other a Farmer.  In the end the cousin was allowed to look at the original certificate to make his own choice (in favour of the Tanner).