Death

As a genealogist you begin to view death in the same light at birth, marriage, or even a census return. It's a piece of information to enable you to build up a picture of an ancestor.

I have ordered one death certificate so far in my research. It was for my great great grandfather John Elders who died in 1904 of pneumonia aged just 31. He left a wife and three children, one not even a month old.

In my life I have been fortunate to have not been too affected by death. The first person I remember losing was my Granny's oldest sister, Auntie Hilda, but at the age of 10 I wasn't really too aware of what was happening. Two years ago I lost my first grandparent, the slightly bonkers Bernard Elders. But at the age of 79 and after suffering from dementia it was expected.

What happened today however, was not expected. A superb bloke by the name of Adrian died today at work of a heart attack aged just 40 years old. We worked together on the same team, and as part of that team we went out for a meal not even 24 hours before he died. I am still in a state of shock, but I had to write something down, and here seemed as good a place as any.

Death has so many more repercussions than a birth or marriage, and I think it's important to think about how the death of an ancestor would affect both the family, but also friends and acquaintances. Especially a sudden death.

RIP Adrian. You will be missed x

Fearless Females - Catherine Briggs - Irish? Brick wall!

My brick wall is Catherine Briggs. She is a woman of mystery!

What do I know about her?

• Was Catherine Briggs before becoming Catherine Wiseman (or Katherine according to the 1911 census)
• Married Richard Wiseman on 10 January 1883 at St Peters Roman Catholic Church, South Bank, Normanby (Middlesbrough)
• Had 5 children, 2 died before 1911, other 3 are William (b. 1884), Katherine (b. 1891) and Teresa (b. 1896)
• Teresa is my great grandmother
• On Teresa's birth certificate there is no father listed
• On Teresa's marriage certificate her father is listed as Dick Wiseman

I looked into the church where she got married, and it was located in an area that served the Irish and Lithuanian immigrants who worked in the smelting works by the River Tees. Teresa lists her fathers occupation as steel worker on her marriage certificate, so is it possible either of them were Irish or Lithuanian?

My questions:

• Is Richard / Catherine Irish? - How do I find this out? Are there passenger lists for ships into Middlesbrough?
• What are the names of the other two children? - I have been through free BMD and found names born in Middlesbrough. Many of the Wiseman babies have two names suggesting they belong to one family. My best guess is John (b. 1887, d. 1887), but I don't know on the second missing child.
• Why is she not on the 1901 census? - (Or any of the family for that matter)
• Why is she not on the 1891 census? - (Or any of the family for that matter) 
• Why is she not on the 1881 census?
• Why is she not on the 1871 census? - (There is a theme!)
• Why is Richard not on any censuses either?
• Where was she born? - I have found a record from 1860 that matches James as her father, but it's in Middlesex... Could she have moved so far? The 1911 census states she was born in Middlesbrough, but it also spells her name with a K so I'm not convinced...

So there are a lot of questions! If anyone can offer any advice I would be very grateful!

Good news!

John met his son!

Norman was born April 10th, John died April 25th after 5 days of illness, so they'll have at least been able to spend a few days together.

I had to share the news now I have stopped crying happy tears! :D

In other news, I now have a website that I'm in the process of setting up which will keep me occupied for the rest of today!!

Certificates and confusion

In the past month I've received four new certificates, with each one being intriguing.

First John Redvers' birth certificate gave me no new information, but it's nice to know his birthday!

However Teresa's certificate had no father listed! Very interesting!

After these certificates I ordered the marriage certificate of Teresa's parents Richard and Catherine (Richard from the marriage certificate and Catherine from the 1911 census). They were married in a church popular with Irish immigrant workers, so maybe there is some truth in the Irish ancestry! It also gave me the names of their fathers, another Richard Wiseman and James Briggs.

I am trying to trace these families but it is proving difficult! Richard seems to have dodged all the census' he could have been in, and there are no records of his death prior to 1911. I have found a Briggs family with the correct name in Middlesex in the 1871 census, but then I can't track them further. Also the 1911 census states Catherine's birthplace as Middlesbrough (but her name is also down as Katherine so I'm not sure I believe it..!).

The final certificate I now own is of John Redvers' father, also a John, who died aged 31 of pneumonia when his son was 4 years old.

The next certificate on order is for Norman Sanderson, son of John, who was possibly born after his father died. I had to order the certificate to know for sure if baby Norman met his dad.

I am currently writing up my findings in a more formal way which is focusing my research and getting me to check and verify everything I have done previously. Best get back to it!!

Confused!

I got my first marriage certificate sent through the post yesterday, but it's thrown up a few questions.

My great-grandmother Teresa Wiseman has been a problem from the start. I've been told she worked in Edinburgh at one point, and possibly has Irish roots, but I had discovered a Teresa Wiseman in Middlesbrough with parents John and Catherine, however the marriage certificate for Teresa and my great-grandfather John Redvers lists her father as Dick Wiseman (deceased). I can't find a Richard Wiseman in the right area and the right age that has died, so I'm very confused!

John Redvers' father John is listed as a Commercial Traveller, and also deceased. I had his death as 1904, so that I agree with, but I believed his occupation to be a secretary to a company, as listed in the 1901 census.

To try and clarify both of these problems I have ordered the birth certificates for both people. This will give me their parents names and give me a better place to continue my research. I'd hate for all my research that I've done so far to have gone to waste!!