library

hg · Post by hg » Tue Apr 08, 2008 11:27 pm

Hi,

I don't know if this is possible!

I am trying to find out about my gggrandfather Stephano Belli's inquest, he died in 1879, in Southwark but there are no coroners reports from that period.

I have contacted several libraries in London and the Southwark library have emailed me to say there may be something reported in the Southwark and Bermondsey Recorder. As I do not live in London it would be difficult for me to go to the library and the British Library in London charge £50.00 to do 4 searches, so I wondered if there was anyone in that area that could possibly look for me! Also, I am not sure how much research this would take as I have never done one before.

thank you

Helen

Post by **paddyscar** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 1:25 am

Hi Helen:

Have you checked the Gale site which is offering a freebie to find it?

http://talkingscot.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11449

Frances

hg · Post by hg » Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:55 pm

Hi Frances,

Yes, I had a look but couldn't find anything.

Maybe I am missing something!

regards

Helen

Currie · Post by **Currie** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 10:17 am

Hello Helen,

I’ve had a good look around in the 13th Feb 1879 to 7th Mar 1879 period but couldn’t find anything. There were a couple of reports of long dead bodies recovered from the Thames in Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper (London), February 16, 1879 and The Illustrated Police News etc (London), February 22, 1879 but they seem to be for inquests held 15th February.

The current 19th Century online database appears to cover the following London newspapers: Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper, The Illustrated Police News, The Pall Mall Gazette, Daily News, Reynolds's Newspaper, The Examiner, The Graphic, and The Era. There’s also the London Times available separately. This would be only a small but representative sample of the London area newspapers of the time.

Alan

hg · Post by hg » Sat Apr 12, 2008 10:52 am

Hello again Allan,

Thanks for looking for me.

It would seem that the only way will be to actually go to the library in London. All the responses I have had from my emails have said that Southwark Library is where I should look.

I will have to put it on hold for now unless I get a response from my previous posting.

I am going to Edinburgh next week so I will go through to the Mitchell Library to see if there is anything there that might hold some clues. [-o<

Currie · Post by **Currie** » Sat Apr 12, 2008 12:49 pm

That’s okay Helen,

Up to 1881 there were very few Belli’s in the whole of England, most of them in Middlesex, probably London, and not many with obviously Italian names. On the chance that Stephano was visiting relatives it might be worthwhile following them up on census returns and whatever else, to see if any came from his part of Italy etc. Could be a complete waste of time but something useful might come to light. The free 1881 Ancestry index and the LDS site might give a few clues.

According to this Newspaper list (near the end) the Southwark Recorder was a weekly newspaper established in 1868 and published on Saturdays so there would only be one or two editions to look at, 22 February and 1st March, 1879, I think.
http://www.casebook.org/press_reports/completelist.html

Good luck,
Alan