Death record unfound

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Orlaith17
Posts: 196
Joined: Sun Mar 20, 2011 10:50 pm
Location: Highlands

Death record unfound

Post by Orlaith17 » Fri Apr 16, 2021 8:11 pm

Really hoping someone here can advise/help. My grandfather’s sister died in Dundee District Asylum Liff in 1937, aged 54. She was described on death certificate as a widow. I have her marriage details; she married in 1906. She had one daughter born in 1907. Her death was informed by a hospital staff member rather than her daughter. I cant find a death record for her husband. I tried Scottsh records from 1907 - 1940 but no luck. I also tried War casualty records given the period but though I can find some people of the same name including some around the same age, I cant get any which confirm it is him by naming his wife or parents. Anyone suggest anything please? Thanks.

jgmills
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Joined: Sun Mar 04, 2007 11:40 pm
Location: Dumfries and Galloway

Re: Death record unfound

Post by jgmills » Fri Apr 16, 2021 10:30 pm

Don't limit your searching to the dates of her death. She may have been abandoned by her husband, and the Daughter told the Hosptial she was a widow, there may have been no mention of him so the Hospital assumed he was dead. You have a rough idea of his birth from the marriage certificate, so I would use that to search to at least 100 years after his birth.

I once had a 'gentleman' remarrying as a widow, then discovered his wife's death thirty years later - she still claimed to be married to him!!!

John

AndrewP
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Re: Death record unfound

Post by AndrewP » Sat Apr 17, 2021 8:32 am

Did they show up with all family members in the 1911 census?

If you don't have an answer before late June 2021, then we should have the 1921 census available to us to look up; same question for the 1921 census when that is available. The 1921 census took place overnight 19th-20th June; I would like to think it would be available on ScotlandsPeople very soon after the 100 year closure is complete.

All the best,

AndrewP

Orlaith17
Posts: 196
Joined: Sun Mar 20, 2011 10:50 pm
Location: Highlands

Re: Death record unfound

Post by Orlaith17 » Fri Apr 23, 2021 7:51 am

Thank you for the suggestions. Yes, both parents and their daughter are on the 1911 census. It will be interesting to see if they are also on the 1921 census. I have no idea how long she spent in Liff Hospital. It seemed a bit strange that the death was not recorded by her only daughter, but by a staff member. I will check the daughter’s marriage certificate too and see what it says about her father, as she married after her mother had died. I have located the daughter and her husband’s gravestone too so will have a visit to see if her parents are named on her gravestone as it may be that the family became estranged I guess.

WilmaM
Posts: 1870
Joined: Fri Dec 17, 2004 10:46 am
Location: Falkirk area

Re: Death record unfound

Post by WilmaM » Fri Apr 23, 2021 8:13 pm

Have you had a look at the valuation rolls?
You could search for any of the addresses shown on census, birth or marriage and see if the husband's name crops up later than you'd expect.

Possibly a long shot, but might give a better date range to work on.
Wilma

Orlaith17
Posts: 196
Joined: Sun Mar 20, 2011 10:50 pm
Location: Highlands

Re: Death record unfound

Post by Orlaith17 » Fri Apr 23, 2021 9:44 pm

Thanks for that suggestion. I have searched through GROS again from the year they were married until well after she died bu5 am not turning up any death record for him. The daughter’s marriage was too recent to view online so I will need to wait until my local research office is open again. I am still wondering if he may have been a war death but nothing so far shows his wife’s or parents’ names. It seems odd not to be able to turn up a Scottish record as in my experience, they are pretty thorough.

rossm
Posts: 53
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 12:50 pm
Location: Perthshire

Re: Death record unfound

Post by rossm » Fri Aug 27, 2021 9:09 pm

Maybe a long shot, but have you tried any WW1 records for the husband? If he was a casualty it may tie in with one of the military death records you have found. If he survived the war it may at least rule that out. I can look these up on Ancestry if you don't have access.

Ross

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