My latest death cert

[coombs]

Thanks.

I am a little bit mad about it though, the cause of death was the whole reason I bought the cert 

Just out of curiosity, how old was the person and when and where did he die?

[Ayashi]

1841 Kendal, Westmorland. He was 8 years old.

[LizzieW]

Did you get the cert from GRO?  Perhaps they just missed off the cause of death when copying it.  You cold always try contacting Kendal archives and see if they will look at the original (if they have it) to see if a cause of death was given.  I've never had a death cert with no cause of death, I've had, old age, visitation (which I think is short for a visit from the angels!) etc. but never nothing at all.

[Andrew Tarr]

In terms of burials only rarely have I found cause of death mentioned with my relatives. In fact, I can only think of one off the top of my head. I'm pretty sure I must have looked for this little guy's burial but apparently not found it yet.

Transcribing late-C18 Formby burials recently, I have found patches where the curate has entered cause of death, commonly consumption, as one might expect.  I wonder why he started doing it, and then stopped after a year or two?

[stevemiller]

Lizzie,

"Visitation" is a bit grander than the Angels - it's God himself (or herself?).!

One of my 3xgreat grandfathers died from "Visitation of God" in 1864, as decided by a coroner's jury !

[LizzieW]

Lizzie,

"Visitation" is a bit grander than the Angels - it's God himself (or herself?).!

One of my 3xgreat grandfathers died from "Visitation of God" in 1864, as decided by a coroner's jury !

You live and learn, I wonder if the ones with a Visitation of God were more upper class, than the ones who only had angels come for them? 

[stanmapstone]

Visitation of God is listed in the 1909 Manual of the International Causes of Death 2nd Revision As: Cause of death not specified or ill defined. It had been said that death from Visitation of God might imply a punishment from God of someone who was sinful, but it could also mean someone who was blessed by God because they were spared from enduring a distressing illness, or they were rewarded for their virtuous life by admission to heaven. It was very common in the nineteenth century.
See http://www.antiquusmorbus.com/English/EnglishV.htm
Stan

[LizzieW]

I guess nowadays such a death would be subject to a coroner's report at least and possibly even a post-mortem to find out the cause of a sudden death.

[AntonyMMM]

I guess nowadays such a death would be subject to a coroner's report at least and possibly even a post-mortem to find out the cause of a sudden death.

All depends on whether a doctor has been treating the person and is able to give a cause of death - even today "Old Age" is used quite regularly as a valid cause (doctors will often admit they have no idea of anything more specific to put)