death of a child who was in the care of someone and parent is also on death cert

[bellaode]

Hello from a warm down under and Happy Hogmany to you all.

Whilst searching for family I have come across an infant who died and the place of residence and person in charge is listed differently to that of the Childs mother who is also listed on the death certificate.

Why would this be so?

[Ruskie]

When you say “person in charge”, do you mean the informant? If so, this could be anyone present at the death .... Might the child have died in a hospital?

Could it simply be that the child was staying or living with the other person?

What date was the death?  We might be able to give a more informed opinion if you give more details.

A Scottish death certificate asks for name of mother, father, and informant’s name, plus more, so if all headings are filled in then the information on your certificate doesn’t sound unusual. Sometimes additional snippets are included.

[bellaode]

Thank you

The child died 29/7/1944 at Chalmers Hospital usual residence 9 Kingswell Lane Banff (person who lived here was a Mrs Rose Ann Smith (nee McAllister) with the mothers usual residence as Milnfield, Elgin (mother was Isabella Haig Stevenson my grandmother) no relation as far as I can see.

[majm]

1944... so during WWII... could the child have been one of many children  evacuated ... in this case, child had been  evacuated to Mrs Smith's place,  and child's mum remained at Elgin.

JM.

[Ruskie]

Ah, so a more recent death than I expected.

JM might be on the money with her thoughts. There could be similar war related reasons for “usual residence” being different from current residence.

Is Rose Smith named on the DC?

[Forfarian]

I don't think there were war evacuations from Elgin which was pretty far out of harm's way, and even if there had been a threat to Elgin, Banff is nearer Germany than Elgin is.

I've come across one or two people from Moray who died in Chalmers Hospital, so I wonder if the hospital had some sort of speciality? Rose Ann Smith might have been an official guardian for children there.

I am rather speculating, however!

[ev]

Was the child born out of wedlock ?
That could be a reason for someone else looking after her 


ev

[dowdstree]

Until fairly recently Chalmers Hospital in Banff was a General Hospital serving the local community. My daughter in law's mother was Matron there for a number of years.

Could the child's mother have been involved in some kind of war work and that is why she was living in Banff? Sheer speculation without any further information on the mother e.g. date of marriage.

Dorrie

[bellaode]

Good evening Ev, yes the child was born out of wedlock and my grandmother was a domestic so I assume this Mrs R A Smith was looking after the child up until she died, she was only 15 months old.