Genealogy Chat

Instead of resurrecting the Most Amusing Cause of Death thread I thought I’d start a new one. Did your ancestors drown in a cart full of feathers, get eaten by a tiger or simply fall out of bed? How did your ancestors kick the bucket? Lyla

I’m getting a bit concerned because so many of my direct ancestors met with very unfortunate deaths. Two (so far) have been “found drowned”. From a newspaper report, Benjamin Mason had been drinking all day around Ipswich docks before he fell in. Abednego Seabrook died at Three Locks, Soulbury, Bucks and the only thing there is a pub so it seems likely he too had been drinking. (Pity can’t find his newpaper report). Henry Collins collapsed from “Ptomaine Poisoning caused by eating a portion of a meat pie” and Charlie Flewers broke his neck after falling down 10 stairs. At least 4 more had Visitations from God, another 3 had senile dementia/senility and one poor fellow had dairrhoea (is that how you spell it?) for 24 days! Then there are several more that had Phthisis. I though it was another drinking term but apparently it just means wasting disease/tuberculosis!

A friends ancestor ate scones prepared by his wife using flour he had previously laced with arsenic in order to kill rats in his barn. Apparently, she didn't realise she had taken flour from the wrong batch..... he realised what had happened, and rode to the Dr's house, but he could not be saved..... It was accepted his wife's actions were not deliberate!! Merry (but I still wonder??!)

Oh yes and I would truly love the rightful owner if this unwanted death certificate to come forward. FREDERICK WOOD age 71 Hackney 10/4/1911 occupation Fishing Tackle Maker. Cause of death Suffocated by vomit, Concussion of brain, Wounds of Head, Accidental Fall. Coroners inquest held. Lyla P.S. Merry, sounds a bit suspect to me. If she was innocently baking she would have licked the mixing bowl and spoon clean and gotten ill herself!

This is the paper notice of one of my husbands ancestors in 1890 FATAL ACCIDENT. -on Saturday night Mrs. Semmence, wife of Mr. W. Semmence, landlord of the Jolly Farmers Inn, was going upstairs, when near the top she stumbled and fell head foremost to the bottom. The teeth of a large ornamentle comb she wore at the time stuck: deeply into and broke off in her head. Dr. Mallins was immediately sent for and carefully extracted the broken teeth of the comb ; but expressed great fear of her recovering owing to the depth of the wounds and the severity of the shock to the system. After suffering much pain she died within twenty-four hours of the accident. Deborah

LOL - I've heard of people dying of teeth (see most amusing thread) but to die of teeth from a comb? LOL

In Nicholas Nickleby Fanny Squeers writes of Nicholas that he 'assaulted my ma with dreadful violence, dashed her to the earth, and drove her back comb several inches into her head. A very little more and it must have entered her skull. We have a medical certifiket that if it had, the tortershell would have affected the brain'. And I thought Dickens was just being over-dramatic! nell

I too seem to have more than my fair share of Bizarre ancestors. Poor Ellen Holden died: Of a fall through the kitchen floor, into the cellar beneath, landing on an iron mangle, which broke her back. Olde Crone

Ooh ouch, Olde Crone....... One distant rellie fell on a pitchfork (rather more dramatic than a comb, don't you think??) Another one (who had signed the pledge as a Quaker) fell from his horse at 10 o'clock in the morning (that bit needs to be underlined), due to ''an intoxication of strong liquor'' - what a naughty boy!! Merry

My 3rd G Grandfather died when 55 years old. One evening when walking home (whether a little tipsy, who knows), he fell down an excavation being dug for the advent of the railway in Paddington. The Coroner's Report, costing 12 shillings and sixpence 12/6 (62p), stated that death occurred due to heart failure. He was found covered in mud. Did trying to scramble up and out of the embankment bring on a heart attack?

Can't think why anyone would want to drink (hic!!) - reading these!! Hubby researched a friends ancestor because the friend said his gg-grandfather had died in a railway accident. Turned out gg-granddad was tipsy and decided to follow the railway line to take him from the pub to his cottage. Pity he didn't remember the 21.58 express.........it decapitated him.... Now for the joke - I told my father-in-law this story (he is from Barcelona, like Manuel) and he said, ''Oh dear.......did he die??'' Merry

Sticky Endings...eeek!!!! This was my Great Grand-aunt Newspaper article from Paisley Daily Express dated 8th Sept 1891 'A distressing fatality occured at the works of Messrs J&P Coats Ltd at Ferguslie shortly before 3 oclock yesterday afternoon. Three of the female workers in the mill were hurrying to resume their duties, when one of them, Robina Townsend, stopped about 40 yards from the door at No. 9 Thread store. ....her companions went on and stepped into a hoist worked by hydrolics, to be taken to a higher flat. Townsend arrived when the hoist was in motion...with the result that she was knocked down by the descending guard. Her head was pressed with considerable force between the guard and the floor...and the skull was fearfully crushed and life was extinct....Sincere sympathy is everywhere expressed with the mother of the deceased woman, a widow, who is thus deprived of her sole support....'