Death Informed by Neighbour.....

Post by **AndrewP** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 10:10 pm

tishgibbons wrote:Hi Carmentea and other listers,

I have a similar situation - when George Leys died at 21 Braemar Place Aberdeen the informant was one Johanna Birss? of 115 Braemar Place - "intimate personal friend"! - George's wife was still alive at the time so I'm wondering did "intimate" just mean she knew him well enough to give correct information (which she did) and even if a neighbour was present, surely the widow would have given the information?! - Or was this marriage breakdown St. Machar style??

Tish

I would guess that the widow may have been too distressed at the time to do the registration and her close friend from along the road did the needful for her. Only a guess, but I think a reasonable guess.

All the best,

AndrewP
in Wellington NZ

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 10:26 pm

Hi Tish
I think "intimate friend" was quite innocent in those days...

Best wishes
Lesley

DavidWW · Post by **DavidWW** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 10:45 pm

LesleyB wrote:Hi Tish
I think "intimate friend" was quite innocent in those days...

Best wishes
Lesley

Indeed!, - in today's world that should be read as "close personal friend".

Such an informant would only have been acceptable to the registrar if he was convinced that there was no-one closer available to act as informant, or that such a closer informant was overcome with grief to the extent that they were unable to act as informant.

After the classification of "personal friend" came occupant or neighbour.

In many such cases one has has to question the accuracy of the information provided, but if a friend or neighbour had known the deceased well for some time, and if the deceased had ensured that the said friend or neighbour either knew the required information, or knew exactly where to find it, then I can quote you situations where the information provided was 100% correct.

In that context, I can also quote you situations involving siblings of a deceased (where correct information was provided by an intimate friend or neighbour) where the information provided for sibling(s) by a spouse, child, or child's spouse, was severely lacking in terms of accuracy; but then, have you ever been in the situation of being the informant for a death registration, and had a chance to appreciate the emotional pressures involved ?

David

tishgibbons · Post by **tishgibbons** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 11:39 pm

Thanks Folks!

Post by **AnneM** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 2:45 pm

Hi

If he was around these days, I'd have been a very close neighbour! If you want a photo of the street as is now just ask.

Anne

tishgibbons · Post by **tishgibbons** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 9:32 pm

Anne,

yes please I'd love a photograph - what a lovely thing to do! Thank you!

Tish

ps - don't suppose there's any relative still there?!

Post by **AnneM** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 6:40 pm

Hi Tish

Still working on the photo. Husband will take one as soon as I can remind him to. I'll have to get him to depart from his usual v high definition pics so that I can mail it. My e-mail can't cope with huge files. When did your George die?

Anne

tishgibbons · Post by **tishgibbons** » Sun Jul 30, 2006 9:23 pm

Hi Anne,

Thanks again - the photograph will be very welcome whenever it arrives. George Leys died in 1919; his wife Jessie ms Shand, some two years later. Would they have owned the house do you think or were they flats at that time? I love to get a feel for how people actually lived.

I just came across a community magazine for the Crathie and Ballater area from where George originated. They encourage letters from genealogical nuts like myself so I've just sent in one. Fingers crossed, I might find a cousin in Scotland yet!

Looking forward to the photograph and thanks again for your thoughtfulness.

Regards

Tish

Post by **AnneM** » Sun Jul 30, 2006 9:54 pm

Hi Tish

I'm not sure if they would have owned the house but I would guess so. These houses on that bit of that side of the road are all divided into two flats so there are 4 houses to a block. The bottom flats are on one level and the top ones are on two, what we call here a double upper. I think they may have been built like that as in the block which contains no 21 the entrances to both flats are at the side. There is not a front door strictly speaking. No 21 has in its garden the street landmark which is a huge monkey puzzle tree, I have not a clue how long it has been there but it looks fairly settled!!

To find out whether these houses were always flats and when the flats were sold off I would have to look at my title deeds and unfortunately the solicitor has these.

Anne