‘Occupier’ on civil death record?

[M_ONeill]

Hey all,

Quick question on interpreting civil death records. I’m looking at the death record of one Walter Bell who dies in Drumads aged 90 in Drumads in 1887. The informant is another Walter Bell.

Now I’d expect that these two people would likely be related, but the record simply lists the surviving Walter as ‘Occupier’ Drumads. Given that other people listed in the surrounding records are listed by familial relation, does this preclude them being related, or could it be for some other reason?

Thanks in advance. 

[Kiltaglassan]

Just putting the image of the death record up, so that everyone can see what is being discussed.
#37

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1887/06217/4778937.pdf

KG

[Maiden Stone]

The recorded qualification of my 3xGGM for registering the births of her twin granddaughters in 1863 (England) was either occupier or householder. I don't know why she didn't say she was grandmother of the babies. 3 generations of the family lived together.
Perhaps the 2 men weren't closely related. It may have been simpler to use "occupier".
The deceased was a bachelor so presumably wasn't father to the younger man.

[M_ONeill]

Thanks for the replies, all!

That’s the funny thing, Maidenstone, I’ve been looking for a Walter Bell, father of my 2x great grandfather James from Drumad - but they all the candidates seem to die as bachelors! Doesn’t preclude them from having a child outside of marriage, I suppose, but still.

Looking at the wider Bell families of the region, it’s easily possible that this younger Walter is a more distant relation who was living on the same land in Drumad.

[shume]

 BIRTHS AND DEATHS REGISTRATION ACT 1874
"When a person dies in a house it shall be the duty  of the occupier of the house in which, to his knowledge, the death took place,"

If you know that Walter Bell was a batchelor, then perhaps either the name of the informant is a mis transcription, or the other Walter Bell is a nephew etc. Also the other Walter Bell cannot write ( hence "his mark" and may not have been able to read also?

shume   australia

[LH]

Hi

In the 1901 census, a Walter Bell age 52 is listed in Tyrone and is unable to Read or Write.  See below.

Could this younger Walter (born around 1849) have been a nephew?

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Tyrone/Ballyclog/Back_Lower/1731806/

Cheers

[M_ONeill]

Thanks once again for the replies, everyone!

So I have seen a Walter Bell link between Drumads and Lower Back; a 1864 marriage between a Walter Bell of Drumads and a Sarah Whiteside (minor) of Lower Back. This Walter is the son of a John Bell - who I’m fairly sure I’ve identified in land records for Drumad, such as the Griffiths valuations. It’s possible that the Walter marrying here is linked to the Walter who dies in 1887 through his father John.

[LH]

Hi

Irishgenealogy has the Drumads, Cookstown Birth in August 1868 of a dau Margaret Jane Bell to Walter (unable to write, so signs his mark X) and Sarah Whiteside.

Suspect that 52 year old Walter (unable to Read or Write), a widower, and his Daughter Margaret on the 1901 I mentioned earlier, is the same Walter who (m) Sarah Whiteside - but this needs more investigating..... and I'm dashing out!

Were Walter who died age 90 and younger Walter's father John, not brothers?

Cheers

[M_ONeill]

I’m thinking the same thing about this Walter being the same one in the census. There don’t seem to be a huge number of Walter Bells in the civic records, although the name recurs a few times.

John and the elder Walter being brothers is a possibility, especially as John named one of his sons Walter.

I’m also out for a bit but will do some more digging and return to the thread!