Who was Mary GADSBY: died Cottingham May 1885

[Newfloridian]

Yes - I've seen both (on FindMyPast). Still confusing though. In 1871 she is supposed to be unmarried and 49 years old; in 1881 a widow (!) and 57 years old.

If it IS Lucy's sister, then the woman buried in 1885 was 65 years old. And the Mary Gadsby attributed to Lucy's parents was baptised in 1815.

We do know exactly where the grave is in Cottingham churchyard - it is in the same row, three spaces away from where my grandfather's 6 year old half brother who was murdered in 1875 is buried. Unfortunately my local researcher, who visited yesterday, says that section is heavily overgrown with weeds and brambles up to waist high in places so impossible to see if there is a headstone.

I have sent for a pdf from the GRO so will report back when it arrives.

Cheers Alan

[heywood]

Here she is in 1861 (can’t see 1871 on Anc)
Birth place transcribed as Wadenham, Nottinghamshire and age as 47 yrs
I have transcribed what I see 
1861 792/27/45
Hornsey
Mary Gadsby, unmarried, lodger  42 yrs Glass and China Dealer b Wadenham, Northamptonshire

[DCB]

I can't find her in 1871 on Ancestry.

Thanks Heywood, now found her in 1861 on FindMyPast as Godby.

I can't find a Wadenham in Northants, so presume Wadenhoe.

David

[Newfloridian]

The plot thickens (ever so slightly). I have found Samuel, Hannah, Richard and Lucy in the 1841 census for Wadenhoe. There is also a 1 year old Mary Ann (GRO: no mother's maiden name) ?Lucy's illegitimate daughter?

No Mary, though

Alan

[heywood]

Mary Ann was born in Northampton - no mother’s maiden name.

She is with Samuel in 1851 1746/92/3

[Newfloridian]

Mary GADSBY solved by the death certificate (although even that is not as straightforward as it might have been!)

She died on May 13th 1885 and her death was reported by Lucy Panther, sister, who was also present when she died. Her noted profession was "Nurse". So, it appears that she moved to Cottingham in the early 1880s after the date of the census.

The final conundrum is what she died of: "Cardiac (Mitral) Hydrops - 2 months".  Mitral valve disease is relatively common and would have been known in late Victorian times. Hydrops is a term usually attached to unborn or newborn babies.

Many thanks all

Alan

[heywood]

Perhaps what we used to call ‘dropsy’?

[Newfloridian]

Doubtful. I collect death certificates - now well over a thousand - because of an interest in the history of medicine. (I've also written quite a few in my time!) Dropsy was quite a common cause of death usually from chronic heart or kidney disease. The other one was applied to stillborn or newborn infants (also not uncommon) as Hydrops foetalis.

Cheers Alan

[heywood]

You are more the expert than me but it doesn’t say, ‘ Hydrops foetalis.’.
It might have been the doctor’s own particular shorthand.
Searching for ‘hydrops’ seems to relate to various situations.

I was just thinking of heart failure from my family experience - in child and adult.