Alexander Burgess, fisherman of Dunbar - Suicide 17 June 1873 - COMPLETED

[woodyinwilts]

From Scotland's People I have the record of my ancestor's death. It's a bit hard to read but it seems to be...

1873 Deaths in the Parish of Dunbar
Entry number: 77

Alexander Burgess

Died 17 June 1873
At the mouth of the Firth of Forth(?)
8 miles East from Dunbar(?)

Cause of death: Suicide by drowning

In the leftmost column of the entry, there is text that reads something like...

xxxxxxxxxxx Ent / page 53 vol 1 28 June 1873

...where the xxxxxxx bit is very hard to read - but something like...

Lec Regi of Corr

Is there anywhere that I can find out anything more about this tragic event - e.g. local newspaper of the period or public records?

Additionally is there any extra information about the Burgess family in Dunbar?  Alexander's father Adam came to Dunbar from the Shetland Islands

[Craclyn]

Welcome to Rootschat.
There is an article in The Scotsman on 19 June 1873. You can access it through Findmypast or British Newspaper Archives.

[woodyinwilts]

Thanks so much for the help. The news article is very melancholy but it answers some questions (and raises some that may never be answered). thanks so much for taking the time to help me

All the best

Mark

[dowdstree]

Welcome to Rootschat from me too.

When you downloaded the record from Scotlands People there should have been what is called an RCE attached to it. (Register of corrected Entries) If you view this too it may give you some extra information on his death.

That is what the writing in the left hand column is referring to.

Dorrie

[Craclyn]

You are welcome Mark. If you track the descendants of some of the nine children that are mentioned in the article you may find someone who knows a little more about the actual circumstances of Alexander's life at the time of the incident.