sometimes the research is so very sad.....

[Finley 1]

This came up today...

when searching for one of my Argyles.



xin

[KGarrad]

These things happened, Xin. No identity papers carried back then?

From Douglas, St George burial register:
3   Children                                                                                          18SEP1812
3 Sailors belonging to the "MINERVA"                                                          13JAN1810
A   Child                                                                                                  01JAN1814
A   Child                                                                                                  18APR1813
A   Child                                                                                                  24FEB1815
A   Child                                                                                                  26MAR1813
A   Child name unknown                                                                          29SEP1811
A sailor found at sea                                                                                  07OCT1812
A   sailor found on the shore                                                                  11FEB1816
A Sailor of the "CAROLINA"                                                                          17AUG1810
A   Shipwrecked Mariner                                                                          03OCT1811
A young lad ( Mariner )                                                                          04OCT1811
name unknown                                                                                          23JUN1827
Two Children                                                                                          28NOV1812
A man unknown washed up by the sea                                                          11JUN1848
A woman unknown washed up by the sea                                                  21MAY1823
Catharine                                                                                                  13OCT1802
Ten poor seamen wrecked on this coast belonging it is believed to the   
barque "JULIE of BRUFFE". Supposed to be Dutchmen were interred   
this day. Names & ages unknown.                                                           30NOV1838

[Finley 1]

ooooh that is awful

of course NO ID



that just reminded me of a TV programme --- some time back, when they were attempting to identify... someone who had jumped into the Thames...

~


xin

[Kiltpin]

On my side, most of my ancestors worked for or with the Honourable East India Company.

One Charles William is recorded in the church register as having married "a native woman". She produced for him, four children, 2 boys and 2 girls. And each baptism she is recorded as "a native woman". 

Regards

Chas

[StanleysChesterton]

Where my mother was born, it was alongside a river and they had the Workhouse there too, so the burial register contains some strangers who were destitute ... and river suicides .... and river drowning accidents of unknown people found drowned. 

Wouldn't it be nice if we had a magic wand that could stand over the graves ... and see through the earth and do a DNA test on all bodies to see "what was that then?"

My paternal line was by the sea and there were a lot of bodies washed up, as well as local kids drowned swimming in the sea. 

Yesterday I was reading a diary written by a man in ~1840-1850; he just wrote random items and local people events and movements... not expecting anybody to ever publish it 150 years later... and in there was a man who fell off his cart and got knocked by his load and the cart ran over his whole body - and his wife was on the cart, 7 months pregnant... when I double checked the burial registers there was an exact match for him, but the transcriber hadn't got his name right, so I must mention it to the OPC so they can update that entry if they care to.

[andrewalston]

I remember coming across the burial of an unknown man passing through one village.

The clergyman had written a description of the chap in the register, even drawing the tattoo that he had on his forearm.

[Finley 1]

interesting  replies  and comments

the DNA  magic wand  'bounce em out and check em out' idea would be lovely -- we could do that with some of our uncertainties.. 


Wasn't Gauguin married to a 'Native woman'  a vague memory from my studies..


That Clergyman, was ever hopeful then Andrew.   


I have one or two buried at sea / lost at sea.. in my own tree.

and a few travellers now. 

yes sad..

No doubt it wont be just the pet animals micro chipped when born soon.

xin

[jaybelnz]

Xin, I have a Greatgrandfather who was buried at sea, in the 1870's  - cause of death on his certificate was Brain Inflammation due to SUNSTROKE!  First of all I though it read just "Stroke", but it was definitely Sunstroke!

 I can't imagine how he would have got sunstroke when his ship was only only 10 days out from GRAVES END England - bound for Melbourne - IN MARCH??  I can't imagine that the sun be would be strong enough at that time of year! Here in NEW ZEALAND, YES, very possible, but in the Northern Hemisphere?? 

Sad really, as his wife had died not long before he left England to visit his sister, and his son and family were heading to the U.S.

[Finley 1]

that is sad

and as you say incomprehensible


xin