John Norquay Berston, Time and place of death.

[Beerman]

Born January 26, 1836 at Grimness on South Ronaldsay, he began working life fishing in Herring Boats, but in the1861 census he was an AB Seaman aboard the "British Isle", a 297 ton barque of the Port of Sunderland. He married in Sunderland in the next year and from March 27th, 1866 he was on "Jane", 195 tons registered at the port of Boston, where later that year he would sail as Mate.

The 1971 census show him at home in Sunderland with his wife and three children, but in the 1881 census his wife is shown as widow. I can find no death in the usual records, so wonder if he might have died at sea and there may be some other record for that.

[AlanBoyd]

I've not found John Berston's death record but in case you haven't seen this,  I did find this death in the Sunderland Echo, 20 April 1878

Deaths
...
In Vine Street on the 14th aged 1 1/2, William, son of Mr John Berston.
...

The Berston family is in Vine Street in the 1871 census.

William Berston's birth was registered Q4 1876. This would bring the date of John Berston's death to approximately early 1876 at the earliest, but may suggest that he was still alive at the time of this notice since since it doesn't specify that he is deceased.

[Beerman]

Thank you, that is helpful, as I don't have access to the Echo. I have all their children's births and deaths, but not that he was very probably alive when William died. In 1881 she was living in Silver Street with her surviving children. So the period of interest has reduced. Thanks again.