Author Topic: Death by drowning 1874. Any advice appreciated  (Read 20302 times)

Offline Maggie1895

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Death by drowning 1874. Any advice appreciated
« on: Sunday 15 May 11 14:38 BST (UK) »
Although I have a very strong Kentish strand in my family I know a lot less about Kent resources than other areas of the UK, so any help or advice would be appreciated.

My great great grandfather, Boys Spicer,  died on 7th February 1874.  He was shown in early records as a farm labourer but by the time of his marriage was a Farmer in Marden, and remained a farmer until his death aged 55.

I have all the normal details on his tree, parents, census, marriage etc, and his Probate record which confirms the date of his death and his estate, so thought I was pretty complete there, but going through some papers of my mother's yesterday I found a note that he had drowned.    That was news to me.

I realise I need to get his death certificate to confirm the cause of death but would have thought it a fair bet that a death by drowning, presumably an accident, of a Farmer in the area would have been reported in the newspapers.   Can anyone guide me to any online sources for Kent newspaper archives?    I've not come across any by googling, maybe because they aren't there or maybe because I've not searched correctly.     If they can only be seen by going to Kent Libraries in person fair enough, but as I don't live anywhere near I'd love to follow up on line if possible.   If not, well a trip to Kent was on the retirement wish list already - I'll just have to move it up a few places.

Thanks for reading!
Census information Crown Copywright www.nationalarchives.gov.uk / National Archives of Scotland

Offline bearkat

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Re: Death by drowning 1874. Any advice appreciated
« Reply #1 on: Sunday 15 May 11 14:51 BST (UK) »
I wonder if the Marden History Group would have anything about the drowning.

http://www.mardenhistory.org.uk/

There maybe something on his gravestone (if there is one).
Middx - VAUS, ROBERTS, EVERSFIELD, INMAN, STAR, HOLBECK, WYATT, BICKFORD, SMITH, REDWOOD
Hants - SMALL, HAMMERTON, GRIST, FRYER, TRODD, DAGWELL, PARKER, WOODFORD, CROUTEAR, BECK, BENDELL, KEEPING, HARDING, BULL
Kent - BAYLY, BORER, MITCHELL, PLANE, VERNON, FARRANCE, CHAPMAN, MEDHURST, LOMAX, WYATT, IDEN
Devon - TOPE, BICKFORD, FOSTER
YKS - QUIRK, McGUIRE, BENN
Nott/Derbs - SLACK
Herts - BARNES
L'pool- PLUMBE
 All UK census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline bearkat

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Re: Death by drowning 1874. Any advice appreciated
« Reply #2 on: Sunday 15 May 11 14:58 BST (UK) »
The graves are listed here

http://www.mardenchurch.org.uk/ck/?page_ref=338&PHPSESSID=ade50d2c683d51412352f5f732ccca62

but I can't see one for Boys SPICER  :(
Middx - VAUS, ROBERTS, EVERSFIELD, INMAN, STAR, HOLBECK, WYATT, BICKFORD, SMITH, REDWOOD
Hants - SMALL, HAMMERTON, GRIST, FRYER, TRODD, DAGWELL, PARKER, WOODFORD, CROUTEAR, BECK, BENDELL, KEEPING, HARDING, BULL
Kent - BAYLY, BORER, MITCHELL, PLANE, VERNON, FARRANCE, CHAPMAN, MEDHURST, LOMAX, WYATT, IDEN
Devon - TOPE, BICKFORD, FOSTER
YKS - QUIRK, McGUIRE, BENN
Nott/Derbs - SLACK
Herts - BARNES
L'pool- PLUMBE
 All UK census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline Maggie1895

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Re: Death by drowning 1874. Any advice appreciated
« Reply #3 on: Sunday 15 May 11 15:14 BST (UK) »
Thank you bearkat - I've looked at the records from St Michael's before for other things and our family's 3 or 4 different surnames only appear rather later.    I know they attended the Methodist Chapel rather than the Anglican Church and that my great aunt played the harmonium there.  I believe her father played the cello, which may have made for slightly less run of the mill services!

You've reminded me of the Marden History group, which I had meant to join previously - I think it will be £12 well spent.   I'm inclined to think that it will be newspaper reports I'll need to access, and maybe they can help with that side of it.   Otherwise, roll on retirement and that trip round the UK visiting Public LIbararies!

I do appreciate the help
Census information Crown Copywright www.nationalarchives.gov.uk / National Archives of Scotland


Offline bearkat

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Re: Death by drowning 1874. Any advice appreciated
« Reply #4 on: Sunday 15 May 11 15:22 BST (UK) »
Have you seen this in the London Gazette?

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/24735/pages/4051
Middx - VAUS, ROBERTS, EVERSFIELD, INMAN, STAR, HOLBECK, WYATT, BICKFORD, SMITH, REDWOOD
Hants - SMALL, HAMMERTON, GRIST, FRYER, TRODD, DAGWELL, PARKER, WOODFORD, CROUTEAR, BECK, BENDELL, KEEPING, HARDING, BULL
Kent - BAYLY, BORER, MITCHELL, PLANE, VERNON, FARRANCE, CHAPMAN, MEDHURST, LOMAX, WYATT, IDEN
Devon - TOPE, BICKFORD, FOSTER
YKS - QUIRK, McGUIRE, BENN
Nott/Derbs - SLACK
Herts - BARNES
L'pool- PLUMBE
 All UK census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline bearkat

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Re: Death by drowning 1874. Any advice appreciated
« Reply #5 on: Sunday 15 May 11 15:28 BST (UK) »
Boys SPICER's grave is among the list of those removed  >:(

Middx - VAUS, ROBERTS, EVERSFIELD, INMAN, STAR, HOLBECK, WYATT, BICKFORD, SMITH, REDWOOD
Hants - SMALL, HAMMERTON, GRIST, FRYER, TRODD, DAGWELL, PARKER, WOODFORD, CROUTEAR, BECK, BENDELL, KEEPING, HARDING, BULL
Kent - BAYLY, BORER, MITCHELL, PLANE, VERNON, FARRANCE, CHAPMAN, MEDHURST, LOMAX, WYATT, IDEN
Devon - TOPE, BICKFORD, FOSTER
YKS - QUIRK, McGUIRE, BENN
Nott/Derbs - SLACK
Herts - BARNES
L'pool- PLUMBE
 All UK census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline bearkat

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Re: Death by drowning 1874. Any advice appreciated
« Reply #6 on: Sunday 15 May 11 15:32 BST (UK) »
Boys SPICER was baptised at All Saints Church, Staplehurst 12th July 1818.

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~staplehurst/Bap_Data_1813.htm#S
Middx - VAUS, ROBERTS, EVERSFIELD, INMAN, STAR, HOLBECK, WYATT, BICKFORD, SMITH, REDWOOD
Hants - SMALL, HAMMERTON, GRIST, FRYER, TRODD, DAGWELL, PARKER, WOODFORD, CROUTEAR, BECK, BENDELL, KEEPING, HARDING, BULL
Kent - BAYLY, BORER, MITCHELL, PLANE, VERNON, FARRANCE, CHAPMAN, MEDHURST, LOMAX, WYATT, IDEN
Devon - TOPE, BICKFORD, FOSTER
YKS - QUIRK, McGUIRE, BENN
Nott/Derbs - SLACK
Herts - BARNES
L'pool- PLUMBE
 All UK census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline casalguidi

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Re: Death by drowning 1874. Any advice appreciated
« Reply #7 on: Sunday 15 May 11 15:34 BST (UK) »
Maidstone library hold local newspapers.  As you have a date of death from the probate and presuming the body was found almost immediately this should be enough for them to have a look for any inquest report for you http://www.kent.gov.uk/LibrariespublicUI/OpeningTimes/LibraryDetails.aspx?id=52

Casalguidi :)
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Offline Maggie1895

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Re: Death by drowning 1874. Any advice appreciated
« Reply #8 on: Sunday 15 May 11 15:44 BST (UK) »
Thank you both!
Bearkat, I'm intrigued by the Court report because the Probate was granted to his widow and his third son, Thomas.   The probate grant looks normal so what happened after that I'm not sure.

Am I missing something about 'Boys Spicer's grave is amongst the list of those removed?'     Obviously I am!    It stirred a memory of my grandmother, who had moved away from Kent, going back down and finding some of the family graves in Marden had been moved to make way for (as I remember it) a bicycle shed.  She was absolutely furious and complained to the local paper, who duly printed a report headed something like "Octagenarian devastated by vandalising of family graves"

If she had been cross before, it was nothing to how she was having seen herself described in a newspaper as an Octagenarian...

p.s. sorry casalguidi, I meant to say that I will get in touch with the Maidstone Library and thanks for the signposting
Census information Crown Copywright www.nationalarchives.gov.uk / National Archives of Scotland