Coroner Inquest reports and Newspaper records

[victoriajoule]

Hiya,

Having waited patiently for 6 weeks to receive a death certificate that I was hoping would break down a large brick wall, it turns out, it has thrown up more questions than answers (typical) !!!!  So hopefully someone can help me.

My 2 x great grandfather was called William Lowery (b. abt. 1849 in Ireland).  He married Eliza Taws in 1877 in Tynemouth and had my great great grandmother Harriet Adella in 1883 in Tynemouth.
In 1881 William and Eliza were in Glasgow.
I then have Eliza and Harriet Adella on the 1891 census in Jarrow, South Shields but cannot find any record of William on any subsequent census's.

I have however found a death record for a William Lowery in 1889 in South Shields......  details on the certificate are as follows:
Died: 26 February 1889 at Saint Bede Chemical Company Works East Jarrow.  This I believe was also known as the Jarrow Chemical Works.
He was 39 - giving his DOB as about 1850 (good match)
Cause of death - Heart disease
Informant - Certificate received from John Graham coroner for Chester Ward - Inquest held 29 February 1889.
Registered - 1 March 1889

Of course I was hoping the informant was going to be his wife or child !!!!

Anyway, I checked the Durham Record Office online catalogue for coroner inquests but cannot find any for 1889.  I have also gone through the Shields daily gazette that is available online and cannot find any record of it.

So, any more ideas where I can delve to see if I can find out if this is in fact my William Lowery ? 

Thanks

[victoriajoule]

Any ideas anyone ? 

[Westoe]

Hello Victoria,

*If* the William Lowery for whom you have the death certificate was buried in a general or municipal cemetery, rather than in a consecrated one, there should be a next-of-kin named in the cemetery burial register. Also it should give his last address, which might help.

Cheers,
Westoe

[victoriajoule]

Hi Westoe,

Thanks for responding !  I don't know if he was buried or where indeed he would have been but its a great idea and at least another avenue for me to explore !  Thank you for the suggestion !

I don't suppose you know if burials for South Shields are available online ?  I live in NZ so cannot go to the local libraries etc

Victoria

[victoriajoule]

....actually I just remembered the Bishops transcripts are available through family search and they have burials as does durham records online, so fingers crossed...

[Westoe]

Hello Victoria,

I've had a look for you in "National Burials Index, Third Edition" database, but no joy. Good luck.

Cheers,
Westoe

[victoriajoule]

Thank you Westoe

[Clarrie]

An inquest was held into the death of my Great Grandfather.  He fell down the (outside) back stairs at home and fractured his skull.  His wife and one of his sons gave evidence. It was all reported in the Sunderland Echo a few days later.  They gave evidence because he died at home and they were there when it happened, but you never know - your family members may have been asked to testify for some reason - in my grandfather's case it was to establish whether he was drunk that night and a drinker generally (he wasn't).

This took place in 1914, so a bit later than the death you are looking at, but I can't imagine they were any more restrained in reporting deaths thirty years before.

I looked it up in the library in Sunderland some time ago, but I'm sure the Shields Gazette (or whatever it was at the time - someone here will tell you) will be available online.  You might as well subscribe for a month and then search madly for all you can find - I've found it fascinating.  All sort of death announcements, leek clubs, letters from the war, court fines, football teams...

It might be worth checking the excellent Durham Records Online - I've found several burials there with addresses and names of next of kin.

Good luck Victoria!

Best wishes,

Clarrie

[antiquesam]

There is something wrong with the date of death surely. 1889 wasn't a Leap Year and therefore it didn't have 29 days in February.