Obituary from Islington

[june1641]

Hello, I wonder if anyone can help me out? I am trying to locate an obituary for Edmund Valentine Smith who died August 1929 in Islington.

Known facts: Edmund lived in a flat at 60 High Street, Islington. and he was manager of the Coffee House which was below. He is known to have occupied 58, 60, 70 High Street, Islington.

He died in what we have been led to believe were suspicious circumstances. Has anyone come across an Obit in any local newspapers. It is believed he was well known in the area.

Any help or advice on the subject would be greatly appreciated.

[avm228]

I don't have access to any local obituaries, but is he the same Edmund Valentine Smith "of 8 Muswell Road, Muswell Hill" who died 16 August 1929, aged 48 - executor Elizabeth Maud Smith, widow?

He does not seem to have died in (central) Islington as his death was registered in Edmonton district just to the north.

Have you obtained the death certificate to identify the cause of death?

[avm228]

I see that Edmund Valentine Smith and Elizabeth Maud Smith appeared in the electoral registers for 1928 and 1929 at 4 Bovay Place, N7.

They were at 60 High Street, Islington in 1922, and at 58 High Street, Islington in 1925.

[june1641]

Thank you AMV228, yes I am aware of what you have sent and we are waiting on the Death Certificate, but I feel that there would be an obituary. Islington is in the Edmonton Registration District at that date. Are you aware of the High Street addresses being Coffee Shops?

[avm228]

Islington and Edmonton were separate registration districts:

http://www.ukbmd.org.uk/genuki/reg/districts/islington.html

http://www.ukbmd.org.uk/genuki/reg/districts/edmonton.html


Islington High Street was in Islington registration district.

However if he died at or near his Muswell Hill address the death would have been registered in Edmonton. Of course he might have been taken ill or injured at the coffee shop and then died at home or in a hospital near home.

[june1641]

Yes you are right he might well have been taken ill at the shop and gone back to Muswell Hill. He is buried at Muswell Hill.

[Valda]

Hi

Because of the size of the population, certainly in central London areas and therefore the number of daily deaths, local London newspapers were only likely to run obituaries for prominent people in the community. You might find a death notice inserted in the newspaper by the family and if the death required an inquest and was of sufficient interest (because again there would be inquests daily all of which could not be covered) then a report would appear in the local newspaper covering the inquest.
Once you have the death certificate that will give the necessary information to know whether there was an inquest. If there was an inquest it should have been held where the death took place. There would only be an inquest if there was any doubt that the death was not from natural causes.

Muswell Hill is in the London borough of Haringey. Their local archives will hold historic newspapers as will Islington archives (links are in the guide at the top of the London and Middlesex boards - a guide to London archives).

Considering he died when he was aged 48 he nevertheless left a will which was more unusual for a slightly younger man and may indicate his death was not unexpected. His estate was worth £1,265 4s.


Regards

Valda

[ShaunJ]

He seems to have been a freemason per Google Books:

"The Freemason and Masonic Illustrated. A Weekly Record of Progress ... - Volume 52 - Page 331

1913 - Snippet view
Edmund Valentine Smith and James Valentine Lanning, carrying out the ceremony in an impressive way ......"

[june1641]

Hello AVM228.
I have today received the death certificate.  It confirms the information you have given to me.
Thank you very much.