Genealogy Chat

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I've just received my 2Xgt grandmother's death certificate. Sophia Smith, widow of George Pickford Smith, died at 23 Cloudesley Road Islington, of Bronchitis on Second April 1881. Informant Eliza Smith Daughter present at the death, registered on fifth April. So far so good BUT I also have an 1881 census page – census taken on the night of 3rd/4th April – showing Sophia aged 67 and Eliza her daughter resident at 23 Cloudesley Road. I guess Sophia may still have been at home but not sure you’re supposed to enter deceased residents on census forms :-)

I suspect that the form had been given to the household a few days in advance and they had already filled it in by the time Sophia died, and they didn't consider altering the census form their top priority when she died! Kate.

I'm sure you're right Kate, Sophia was the Head of the household but had been ill for four weeks so I expect young Eliza filled out the form then thought no more of it. It does make the entry for Sophia on my Family Historian program look odd though, as it arranges events in her life in chronological order - death, then census then burial.

Well, I'm completely jealous!!! Hubby's rellie was in his coffin but not yet burued and he is NOT on the census (1851).....and we really needed that for his place of birth!! LOL Merry

Bad luck Merry - mind you I've just noticed that Eliza got her mother's place of birth wrong - put Islington when she was actually born in Kent so just as well I wasn't relying on this census