1920s death in Paris

[donorkney]

My great uncle David Watson was born in Keady, County Armagh, Northern Ireland in 1858. He was living in East Finchley, North London betwen 1918 and 1923, including being a witness at my grandparents' wedding. However we can't find his death. There's one family memory that he died in Paris in the 1920s, possibly of a flu epidemic. How can I check this story? I haven't been able to find a searchable index of deaths in France (or at least in departements around Paris) for the 1920s, but presumably there is one?   

[joger]

Hello, I found 5 deaths name Watson between 1903 and 1922 and 3 between 1923 and 1932 , in different Paris arrondissements (20 arrondissements) but no David. Was he married, name of the wife? Had children, names?

[donorkney]

Hi

Many thanks for replying so quickly. He was baptised in November 1858 with just the name David. He had no children and I think it unlikely he was married. Certainly he was still on his own at the East Finchley address in 1923. The Paris story may be incorrect but the informant (now dead) has otherwise proved very accurate.

[joger]

I checked a second time 1913-1922 and 1923-1932 , no David Watson dead in the city of Paris, according to the" tables décennales ". Human error is always possible, he may have been forgotten, he may haved lived outside Paris.

[donorkney]

Many thanks for this. I think I'll try another UK source first. Thankfully the church he attended between 1919 and 1922 (and probably for longer) has an archive of all the old church magazines which I'll go back to again.

[Oliver Sudden]

Hello

Found this thread while looking into another Watson who ,so far ,appears to have vanished and comes from the same area. This is a Lizzie Watson who could be a relation.

Just wondering how you got on with your search ?

[donorkney]

Hi

Sadly I've not found anything else about David Watson. As far as I know he died unmarried and without issue, but who knows? His brothers' and sister's families are so well documented that it seems unlikely that David had a spouse or issue not known to others in the family. David grew up in Keady, Armagh, spent his early adult years in Kimberley, South Africa, and then moved to north London where he was a witness at my grandparents' wedding in 1922, but my mother (their daughter) who was born in 1924 has no memory of her great uncle David at all. Is it possible that he became some sort of black sheep round about 1923-24, and moved to Paris never to contact his family again? If you think there's any possible connection with your lost relative we should perhaps share what info we have. Many thanks. 

[joger]

Have you tried  to find him in the deaths abroad ?

[Oliver Sudden]

There are other threads on here regarding the Keady Watsons in SA but yours may be the pioneers going by the timeline. Must be 30 years ago I heard of my ancestors travelling there but I do not recall the detail. These people are all related and the christian names of the families are all very similar with David being an example.