Cause of death - Anderson Kilconquhar

[Rutha1636]

Hello all

I am trying to find out what the cause of death may have been for 2 ancestors in Kilconquhar, Fife, Scotland

1.  William Anderson b 3 Jan 1780 died 1837.  He was a Lt Royal Navy on half pay
2.  his son John Anderson b 14 Feb 1832 d 31 Dec 1874 - a joiner.

I am wondering if death certificates were available in that era and whether they might indicate cause of death.  If they do, can you let me know how I might obtain those certificates.

Regards Ruth
Australia

[AMBLY]

Hi Ruth

The death certificate of John can be obtained from Scotlands People and will show a cause of death:
http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/
Free to register, free to search. Pay to download the certificate (very good value for money - 30 credits will buy you, for example 6 certificates).

The is no death cert for William however, as he died before 1855 (when civil registration commenced in Scotland).   You may find a burial record, or a memorial inscription (even he was not buried in Scotland, he may be mentioned on a family headstone) but neither is guaranteed to tell you what he died of. Some Burial registers to indeed recall the cause of death, but no requirement for this information to be included. Nor are all burial records complete/surviving.

On Scotland's People, it looks as if there was a will, or maybe an Admon (if he died intestate). This is from the WILLS section on SP, and this is what is free for you to view:
ANDERSON WILLIAM
Date of administration: 20/03/1838
LIEUTENANT, ROYAL NAVY, RESIDING IN KIRKTOWN OF LARGO   
Ref: CUPAR SHERIFF COURT SC20/50/10

Cheers
AMBLY

[ev]

hi all 

Good work from Ambly , once more
Ruth , if you are interested the will will cost £5 GBP to view the actual pages , this must be paid seperately, you can't use site credits to pay to view a will(been there done that    )

ev

[Rutha1636]

Hello all

Well I wanted to know the cause of death for John Anderson - now I want to know what caused the cause!

The death certificate states that he died at 7.24 p.m on 31 December 1874.   Cause - Poison et sequalae 2 hours.  Present at death was neighbour George Skinner. Died at Collinsburgh.  (I think John lived at Balcarres Arms).

So - did John Anderson take his own life?  Did someone else administer poison?  Or as he was a wright (master) was it some accidental poisoning.  I also believe they administered arsenic as a curative for certain diseased - was it something like this.  However the 2 hours to me indicates that this was unlikely to have been an accidental or medical treatment type poisoning.

Have you any ideas how i might find out how he was poisoned.  The death certificate is dated 7 Jan 1875 - Edinburgh Certified by David Smith LRCP & LRCS.  Would there have been an inquest?  Would i find a record of that in a Scottish Newspaper.

I have (handed down through the generations ) 2 of his wooded toolboxes - now in Australia.  I would really like to know more about what happened.

Regards Ruth

[ev]

Ruth ,

Is there any writing to the left hand side of the death certificate
it may indicate RCE(Register of Corrected Entries) which might give more information
The fact that he died in Fife but the death was registered in Edinburgh a week later may indicate that
the death was investigated further
I wonder if David Smith worked with the Police

ev

[Rutha1636]

There is nothing in the LHS  of the death certificate.    I also has the record of his will - or rather he died intestate so the record after death of his estate.
This record names him as John Anderson Wright of Colinsburgh who died at Edinburgh.  So I am not quite sure what is correct.

As his neighbour was present and not his wife, maybe he was in Edinburgh at that time?  Attached is the copy of his death cert.

Death certificate removed - copyright[/blue]