Death in Childbirth

[Midase]

Off on a tangent here..

I'm actually from Bridgwater...  And funeral directors in the family.

When my mum had a still born child, what happened to the baby once they took it away, normally back then mother wouldn't see the child..

My relations explained, that apparently in the case of a still born baby, the baby would be taken to a local funeral director, then the baby would be placed in the foot of the coffin of the next person to be buried.  So they had a christian burial almost. 

But no record would be kept, of what stillborn baby went to what funeral

I suspect that the infant was with her in the coffin. Thanks Jo.

[brionne]

Marriage record shows Thomas H Dudderidge 1919 Bridgewater

[dowdstree]

Just to add as a point of interest.

In Scotland the legislation only came into force in 1938/1939 requiring a still birth to be registered.

My great aunt died in 1929 aged 32 giving birth. The baby was stillborn so no registration took place.
Fortunately, the information has been passed down the family that the baby was buried with his/her mother in a family grave.

The death certificate makes horrendous reading.

Dorrie

[Midase]

Marriage record shows Thomas H Dudderidge 1919 Bridgewater

Sometimes the spelling goes awry. He is actually Duddridge and is how he was born and buried. I came across another instance of this where a Charles Duddridge put Dudderidge on the census but when he signed it, he signed it Dudderidge and then wrote over it to correct it to Duddridge!

[carol8353]

You can apply to the GRO for a stillbirth certificate.

See here for info https://www.familytreeforum.com/content.php/374-Stillbirth

[larkspur]

They had 14 children between them, four of whom died, so they were doing quite well!

I can only find 4 births all in Bridgwater.
March 1921 Duddridge Thomas H mothers maiden name Searle
Dec 1924 Mary J Dudderidge MMS Searle
Mar 1926 Gwendoline Dudderidge MMS Searle
Sep 1927 Charles Dudderidge MMS Searle

[josey]

My maths had thought that 14 children between 1919 & 1930 & by the age of 34 was going some too, Larkspur. However OP did state 'between them' so maybe Thomas had some children before marrying Harriet? Perhaps Midase can post details of those and also the '4 that died'.

[larkspur]

aaah you are right I did not pick up on the "between them" 

Cannot find a death or marriage for another wife in Bridgwater though.

[Midase]

My apologies to those that took the time to look but I made a mistake. It was her father that had the 14 children!