5 Mysterious deaths in Blackburn in Q2 1901

[TallPaul]

Hi

I've been looking at my great great aunt Nancy FORREST's family, who lived in Blackburn, and discovered what looks like a catastrophic event in her life.   

She married James BLACKBURN in 1887 and they had 9 children between 1888 and 1901. 

On 31 Mar 1901 they were a happy family with a child due living at 14 Double Street, Blackburn (which is now called West View Place).

But in Q2 1901 there are deaths registered for her husband and four of her children (#5 James, #6 Richard, #7 John and newborn #9 Emily).

I've not found any reference to an incident in the newspapers available on MyFindPast, but I'm speculating that there was a housefire.  Did James run back into the burning building to rescue the youngsters? 

I know I can spend the money to acquire the death certificates, but I'm hoping that someone with more local knowledge has access to other sources of information.

I appreciate that during lockdown this may not be possible, but thanks in advance for any help.

Paul

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X9K9-C2Z

[rosie99]

Those deaths were not registered at the same time

Deaths Jun qtr 1901 
 
Blackburn    John    2    Blackburn    8e   241
Blackburn    James    4    Blackburn    8e   243    
Blackburn    Richard    4    Blackburn    8e   276   
Blackburn    James    38    Blackburn    8e   277   
Blackburn    Emily    0    Blackburn    8e   281

Possibly an illness or malnutrition.  You really need to consider buying one of the death certificates as that could give a clue

[rosie99]

I know this person is not related but Benjamin Bilsborough Blackburn's death was recorded in that qtr at Blackburn reference 8e 283 which is after the last of your Blackburns. The probate index has his death as 22 May 1901 so your families deaths were recorded before that date.

ADDED I can't see that the Blackburn Standard for 1901 is online 

[josey]

Preston Herald 11 May 1901
Too late for classification Deaths
Since our last
Richard Blackburn Double street aged 4
5 others
James Blackurn [sic] Double Street age 38

[AntonyMMM]

You do need to purchase at least one certificate.

My first "local" was the West View Pub, at the end of that street, and I had friends who lived in West View Place. A cul de sac of small terraced cottages.....hasn't changed.

[TallPaul]

Thanks Rosie and Josey!

So whatever happened, happened around the first week of May. 

Nice idea to look to at the register numbers!   While the death register entries are not consecutive they are tightly clustered...and if 200 people died/month then the 40 between the first and last of the 5 registrations suggest that the deaths occurred within a week.  This seems excessive for any illness...5 in a week then everyone else survives?

I may be dramatizing but I do wonder whether the shock caused Emily's premature birth...

I will see if I can find more of the Preston Herald...then I'll get my wallet out. 

Thanks again for your input.

Paul

PS Thanks to Antony too....I did find 14 West View Place of Google Streetview, and on contemporary maps...the houses around #14 do change design, but whether this was original or a later rebuild I couldn't say...it may have been different contractors building to their own templates.  I might have another look though.

[jonwarrn]

Nice idea to look to at the register numbers!   

Re time (and location)
It looks like first two, John and James, were registered in a different sub-district to the last three.
And see Lancashire BMD
http://www.lancashirebmd.org.uk/deathsearch.php

[jonwarrn]

GRO index, June quarter 1901, Blackburn
8e 262
Two deaths only on FreeBMD (rather than ten)

That is likely to be the end of the returns for that particular sub-district in that quarter.

One of them is John Haydock, 58
Probate for him, died Blackburn 29 June 1901
See the census, in Preston New Road.

[ShaunJ]

You can see from the published stats the things that were killing people in early May 1901. There was "fever" and diptheria in Blackburn. There was some concern about a scarlet fever epidemic but it wasn't killing many people.

This is from the Preston Herald of 18 May 1901: