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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Dorset => Topic started by: Geoff on Saturday 27 June 20 07:07 BST (UK)

Title: What Happened 1743 ?
Post by: Geoff on Saturday 27 June 20 07:07 BST (UK)

Hi Chatters,
Is anyone able to tell me if a plague or some other sort of catastrophe hit Dorset in the last quarter of 1743 ?
I have a family of ORCHARDS where parents and at least half of their children died within a week of each other.
I know there was a lot of deaths from Scarlet Fever at sometime, but I don't think it was in 1743.

Cheers
Geoff

Title: Re: What Happened 1743 ?
Post by: KGarrad on Saturday 27 June 20 07:42 BST (UK)

Maybe it was simply something like a major fire?

Can't find anything noteworthy re epidemics.

Title: Re: What Happened 1743 ?
Post by: stanmapstone on Saturday 27 June 20 08:31 BST (UK)

Measles, scarlet fever, diphtheria, whooping cough, enteric fever, smallpox, and tuberculosis were endemic.  If a number of members of the same family, or living in the same house, all died about the same time from a disease, then it was usually due to the very poor living conditions, usually all the families living in one room.

Stan

Title: Re: What Happened 1743 ?
Post by: stanmapstone on Saturday 27 June 20 08:42 BST (UK)

See "Ailments, Complaints, and Diseases in the 1700 and 1800s"
https://www.geriwalton.com/common-ailments-complaints-and-diseases/

Stan

Title: Re: What Happened 1743 ?
Post by: nanny jan on Saturday 27 June 20 09:46 BST (UK)

Have you looked here:  http://www.opcdorset.org/index.htm

Sometimes there is a cause of death mentioned in the burial register.

Title: Re: What Happened 1743 ?
Post by: Geoff on Saturday 27 June 20 13:28 BST (UK)

Thank You for the replies, It's hard to imagine people had to live in such poor conditions that their living quarters were killing them. What really hurts is that there are still places around the world where these conditions still exist today.