Informant at death on certificate

[MOM OF TWO]

Received a death certificate today on George Cockerton (death 1862).

Surprisingly informant on death certificate was a Sarah Tivey who a few years later married George's grandson Henry Cockerton in 1864. Although this is a great link to different generations of the family I was somewhat surprised to see Sarah's name and not his close relatives.

Any ideas to why a future relative would be the informant on the certificate ?
Cause of death was paralysis lasting 3 months therefore is this commonly known as a stroke.
George was 78 at age of death.

your thoughts welcomed
Teresa

[Manchester Rambler]

I wonder if she mght be a nurse of some Kind, who met the grandson while caring for George?

An interesting question!

Rambler

[MOM OF TWO]

I think that she may have been "courting" Henry because they both originated from Derbyshire and George was living in Maidstone, Kent .

Teresa

[Manchester Rambler]

Perhaps Henry brought his girlfriend to look after granddad as a way of getting her accepted by the family!

I must admit I'm intrigued - I haven't come across this type of situation before.  It just goes to show how useful death certs can be!

Rambler

[colinjohn]

In the early days [before 1875], the informant was one of the following

someone present at the death
someone in attendance
the occupier of a house
the master or keeper of an institution

see http://home.clara.net/dixons/Certificates/indexbd.htm

If he died in his own house then 3 & 4 are ruled out so she was likely to be either a nurse, as has been suggested, or perhaps already a friend of the family or may be a relative visiting. Nurse perhaps seems most likely, but would the family have been able to afford to employ one? There was no NHS in those days, of course, and I don't suppose that the parish would have provided a nurse.

Colin

[DotBrennan]

Hi Teresa

I have a death cert where the informant is the daughter-in-law's brother.

Bren.