Genealogy Chat

I think I have found an 'extra' sibling of my grandmother's. The birth date fits (He was born 1896, a year before her) the registration distirict fits (same as hers) he died when a year old. If you come across things like this, do you send for the birth certificates (bearing in mind no-one in the family knew about him) to prove the link ? I know it is a costly process as I can't afford to throw £7 away but it is bugging me a bit now! Thanks Joan

It is always sad. I look for a grave. I have found babies mentioned on family headstones. I only buy certificates when I need to be sure I am researching the right family.

This has happened several times in my tree, I always get the death certificate. In the OCCUPATION box it will stae ''Son of........'' usually the fathers name, then you also get to find out what happened to the poor little mite sam

Thanks Sammy I think I will get the death certificate. It would cost me more to look for the grave (assuming it is marked) as it is far away & also I don't know which church to look for anyway. I always feel that these little mites still deserve a mention in my tree, maybe it's a bit silly but I like to know the full story, not just how far I can go back. Thanks for the replies folks, :0) Joan

I'm a fan of death certs too. My great grandfather had mentioned on his gravestone '4 children died in infancy'. It was expensive but I just had to know what happened to them all. I chose to send for the death certs and these answered the questions, although did not give me an exact date of birth. I thought that was less important. As Smiley says, for a child it will always say 'son of...' in the occuaption box eg 'son of fred jones, a baker' so you can be fairly sure you've got the right one. Anne

Thanks Anne, not just me being daft, then !! His father had a distinctive first name, so I would only need the death certificate, there was only one with his name around that area then !! It must have been a terrible time for my g. grandparents, they had just had my grandma, so it was a happy time, then within 3 months their first born died, whilst they had just had a new baby. How terrible. It doesn't bear thinking about does it ? :0) Joan

I have unusual names and often they are the nly ones living in that area (especially my Colwood's) and if i see what might be one of their's I buy it - and I haven't got one wrong yet!

Hi I was reading through the post and thought I would add a little from my tree. My grandfather always said he remembers his mom (who died age 28 in childbirth) mentioned that he had a twin that did not live. It always bugged him. I started the family tree about 4 years after his passing and low and behold was I surprised to find more then I thought ....:) His brother was born March 1909 Baby Girl born April 25 1910 Died April 26 1910 Baby Boy born April 7 1911 Still born Baby Girl & Baby Boy born: Jan 8 1912 Still born My Grandfather born: Jan 3 1913 And his poor mother died Feb 21 1915 due to complication to pregnancy. It was nice to see it all but sad all at the same time and to see that my grandfather was almost right. Bev

Beverly What awful things to happen, to lose so many ! That is so sad, makes you think doesn't it ? I mean, if it had been my Grandma that died, not the brother, or if he had a contagious illness & she'd caught it, I wouldn't be here now. :0) Joan

Have you tried the parish records? The ones I've found buried at that age have the parents noted in teh burial records. Zoe

Hi yes to lose so many and in those times it happened and then to have another as if the first or second or third in my great grandmothers case never even happened. My grandfather says he remembers the day they took his mom out of the house all bloody and placed onto the back of the wagon and his father driving her to the dr. but she either didn't make it or soon died after arriving. She was only 28 years old....:( terrible to have so many disapointments and hardships at such a young age. Bev

Hi June. I recieved the death cert last week of my gg gran and she died from placenta previa, where the placenta is 'born' before the baby. She haemorraged and died. Intrigued I looked through the births for the same quarter and found a likely birth for a baby boy, then a subsequent death in the following quarter. I didn't need to order either of these as he wasn't a direct ancestor but like you needed to have proof that he was my rellie before adding him. I have ordered the birth cert first mainly because i wanted an exact birth date to see if his mum actually died whilst having him or maybe at a later date. I am then going to order his death cert to see what the poor mite died of. I could have just shrugged it off but needed to prove the link and close the chapter on him. Dispatch date is 10th May!!! Nicky

Beverley, Where did you find the information about the still-births, as stillbirths weren't registered until 1927? Kath. x