FreckNeale's Scavenger Hunt...Everyone Welcome To Join In

[Alexander.]

Received the death certificate for Frances Sharpe today:

19 Nov 1863, Sneinton Asylum, Sneinton
Frances Sharpe, female, age 60 years, rank or profession blank
Cause of death Ovarian tumor, certified
Registered by Mary Jane Jackson, Present at the death, of Lunatic Asylum, Sneinton, 19 Nov 1863

This confirms that Frances Johnson and Frances Sharpe are the same person.

Unfortunately there are no further details to confirm whether or not this is the Frances I am looking for.

Any ideas on where to proceed from here?

Alexander

[jaywit]

Was the death cert the only time Sharpe was mentioned? I can't remember if you have said.

If it was  it could be a mistake.

Mary Jane Jackson was a nurse at the asylum on the 1861 census.

If so she may not have been taking as much notice as a relative would when registering a death and the incorrect name could have been entered without her noticing, or she could have given the wrong surname.

Apart from that I can't think of anything else.

[Alexander.]

Hi jaywit,

The burial was registered as Sharp. On the 1851 census Frances is shown as "Frances S.", probably for Sharpe although at one time I thought it may be for Steward. The 1861 census she is back as Frances Johnson.

It's all a bit of a puzzle.

My Frances had a number of aunts/sisters who died relatively young in their 40s-60s. I have ordered a couple of their death certificates just now to see what their cause of death is. A bit clutching at straws, but if they also died of ovarian cancer that could suggest/support a family link.

Alexander

[jaywit]

So sometime between 1841 and 1851 Frances changes her surname.

I don't think you will ever find out why she did that.

It is possible there is an hereditary cancer but if you think about it there wouldn't have been any treatment so they would have been many cancer deaths that would today have been treatable..

There is an off chance that if you look back at parish records for burials you may be lucky and find a record where the cause of death would have been recorded, some parishes did that.