Genealogy Chat

My 3x great grandfather hanged himself in Bath in 1870. He and his wife must have been well-known, as for many years they ran a refuge for destitute travellers on the Abbey Green in the centre of the town. I can find no trace of his widow in any subsequent census, nor find a death or remarriage certificate (she would have had to have someone lined up if she found a new husband before the 1871 records). Does anyone know of a precedent for a woman changing her name in order to remove the association with what was regarded a criminal act? Her name was Catherine Bailey, born Catherine Hayward in Bath in c1806. Her husband was Samuel Bailey, born Bradford on Avon 1802, died August 1870 in Bath. Any clues, anyone? Darryl

did they have children ?? it is quite possible that she is holed up with a married daughter and transcribed with her name

Thanks for the tip Alice, their son Samuel was my gt--gt-grandfather, and he was single and lodging out of the area in 1871. Daughters Jane (b1834) and Louisa (b1841), like their mother, disappear from view. It might be possible they left the country, but that seems a long shot. Darryl

perhaps she reverted to her maiden name? suicide had a terrible stigma.

do you have them in the 1861 census? By 1881 the girls would surely have married

Alice, this is the family part of the household in 1861 (rest are the lodgers/homeless) Cathaine Bailey abt 1801 Walcot, Somerset, England Wife Bath St James Somerset Louisa Bailey abt 1842 Bath, Somerset, England Daughter Bath St James Somerset Samuel Bailey abt 1802 Bradford, Wiltshire, England Head Bath St James Somerset Elizabeth Denson abt 1822 Bath, Somerset, England Daughter-in-law Bath St James Somerset Merry

Elizabeth Denson turns up in 1871- although unmarried, so was she an 'in terms of the law' daughter? William Bewley abt 1825 Sotherton, Wiltshire, England Servant Combe Hay Somerset >> Elizabeth Denson abt 1822 Bath, Somerset, England Servant Combe Hay Somerset Elizabeth A Fish abt 1825 Marazion, Cornwall, England Wife Combe Hay Somerset Robert Fish abt 1827 Sturminster, Dorset, England Head Combe Hay Somerset **She is their servant in 1851

An ancestor of mine 'cut his own throat in a temporary fit of insanity'. No one changed their name. He seems to have been quite well respected in the town because a collection was made from local people and tradesmen which raised quite a reasonable sum. He was buried at the Parish Church though the grave has now gone because part of the churchyard was cleared in the early 1900s. A relative who is a nurse and a friend who was a police officer both expressed doubts about how easy it is to cut your own throat and wondered whether he was murdered but there is no suggestion of that in the coverage in the newspapers from the time. MB

Gruesome story, Martin. My ancestor's suicide was reported in the Bath Chronicle. Apparently he had tried to cut his own throat previously, but had been restrained by his wife. Some days later he locked himself in a room and hanged himself, to be discovered by his wife - she had a tough time of it. I've visited the place in Bath and it's a real picture-postcard square; for such a violent thing to have happened there seems shocking. Like your ancestor, his suicide was attributed to 'temporary insanity'. Thanks to all friends on GR who are digging around on this story, it's very much appreciated. Darryl

In reply to Alice's Q....Eliz. Denson (dau-in-law) was unmarried in 1861 as well. Funny if she is Samuel's step-dau, as I might have expected her name to be Hayward????? Merry

Oh....in 1851 she is their servant along with a James Denton, also unmarried (Eliz's brother?) Merry

As Elizabeth was listed as a servant in 1851, I concluded that she became considered part of the Bailey family after being with them for so long, hence the daughter-in-law tag in 1861. The fact she is working for other folk in 1871 perhaps demonstrates the way in which the family was blown apart by Samuel's death, although, of course, she could have left their household years before that. I have found a Mary Bailey in the Bath workhouse, a widow of about the right age, in the 1871 census, but have no record of Catherine ever using that name. Darryl