Death registration help

[Ayashi]

Deserted... poor woman.

She was in 10th July and out 24th July, back in 28th July and out 13th Oct that year. She also stayed overnight with the children on the 25th July and 26th July (edit- looks to have been Britten St Workhouse for the overnight stays?).

[Lynne Tann-Watson]

Oooh thanks Suz, I hadn't seen that one. I have been wondering if she actually had syphillis. I saw a "Who do you think you are" several years ago, can't remember who it was but there were a lot of children and three or four of them died in a short space of time. They were in the middle of the family. There was an expert on who explained about syphillis and said that if you find a situation like this, suspect it. So three of Sarah's six children died within 5 years. Eleanor was the second and it was the 1st, 3rd and 4th who died so maybe that precludes it, but ulcerated legs can also be a sign of syphillis,

[Lynne Tann-Watson]

Ayashi, you are certainly right about her being a poor woman. She married in 1847 then her three little boys died aged 4, 1 and 3 respectively, in December 1852, January 1853 and January 1857. In 1870 her 14 year old daughter Augusta caught her foot in the cable of an inclined plane in Sunniside, Yorkshire and was dragged, receiving a compound fracture of the leg. She lived 11 days. On top of that we now see that she was deserted by her husband and left destitute and ill. I rather hope she WAS dead before Augusta was killed.

[Ayashi]

Oh goodness

It annoys me a bit that I can't find them on the 1861 census. I do vaguely wonder if she remarried, despite Thomas being alive. I'm not 100% on the law but I think if seven years passed without any knowledge of a husband being alive then it could be possible, especially if she was destitute with young children. Even without the law, with no husband around she could have passed herself off as a widow.

On a worse note, if the children were separated from her, her identity might have been lost. If she was outside of the workhouse one night and something happened to her, she might not have a death certificate under her own name if nobody knew who she was :/

[jonw65]

Deserted... poor woman.

Thomas is in umpteen editions of the Poor Law Unions' Gazette, 1862-64
8 November 1862
THOMAS LOUTHIN, aged 46, by trade a tailor, height 5 feet 5 inches, sandy hair, bald head, very slight figure, pale countenance, weak eyes, and slightly pitted with small-pox. Worked for D. Nicholl and Co. Tailors, Regent Street, three years. The said Thomas Louthin absconded in June last; his wife and three children are now chargeable to the Parish of St Luke Chelsea

One pound reward, info to Mr. Tubbs, Relieving Officer!

[Lynne Tann-Watson]

Jon that's absolutely brilliant! An actual description of him! He sounds like a right b*****d. Did you say he appears in other editions? Where do you find these?
Ayashi, it's annoying to me too, that I can't find them on the 1861 census. It sounds from the piece Jon shared, as though he took off in June 1862, so they should presumably still be on the 1861 census as a family. Even searchin for Eleanor or Letitia doesn't bring up any results. It's a horrible thought that she may not have a death certificate but you could be right. She may have chucked herself off a bridge or something.

[Lynne Tann-Watson]

I must say, this is all absolutely fantastic. Thank you so much guys! In an afternoon I've filled in more information about this family than I could even have hoped. I think I shall have to do a post about my perpetual knotty problem and see what people can come up with! Thanks again for your help.

[jonw65]

Hi
I got it from the British Newspaper Archive (will also be on findmypast)
You can get three free page views on BNA if you register.

It's the same piece on Thomas for all that time, he is still 46 in 1864!
Also on there, report of the inquest on poor Augusta (various newspapers, much the same story) in February 1870.
John

[Lynne Tann-Watson]

Thank you Jon.