Genealogy Chat

Frederick was born 1868 and married Ellen Jones in Minera, Denbigh on the 26/9/1889. They then went to live in Thelwall, Cheshire. Ellen died on the 4/8/1918 of Spanish flu. Frederick died of drowning in the Manchester ship canal on the 22/3/1928.
Inquest was held the day after. We, as a family don’t know why he was in the water so I wrote to the Cheshire records office to see if they had a record of the inquest. They replied saying they don’t hold records and to look at Warrington or Runcorn newspapers. Unfortunately I live too far away and wondered if someone could help
We don’t know if he committed suicide, was taken ill or just slipped and fell in.
Maybe there isn’t any newspaper reports.
Any help would be appreciated.
Pat.

Frederick Johnson Hewitt
in the Cheshire, England, Church of England Burials, 1813-1998

Name Frederick Johnson Hewitt
Death Age 59
Birth Date abt 1869
Death Date abt 1928
Burial Date 24 Mar 1928
Burial Place Thelwall, All Saints, England
Reference Number P 239/7051/9
Description Thelwall, All Saints. Burials
Page number 9

Curiously, buried on the same day ........

Name Percy Edwin Hewitt
Death Age 33
Birth Date abt 1895
Death Date abt 1928
Burial Date 24 Mar 1928
Burial Place Thelwall, All Saints, England
Reference Number P 239/7051/9
Description Thelwall, All Saints. Burials
Page number 9

Son,nephew, brother????
Could there have been a failed rescue attempt on the canal???

I don't see any report of Frederick's death in the British Newspaper Archive.

Percy's address:

DROWNING TRAGEDY Thelwall Farmer in Pit Near His Home . . . .
Thursday Percy Hewitt aged 33 farmer Wash-lane Thelwall near Warrington has been found drowned a pit 200 yards from his home facts have been reported to the coroner .

Published: Thursday 22 March 1928
Newspaper: Liverpool Evening Express
County: Lancashire, England

Record set England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007

First name(s) Percy E
Last name Hewitt
Volume 8A
Sex Male
Page 320
Birth year 1895
County Cheshire
Country England
Age 33
Death quarter 1
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Death year 1928
Subcategory Civil Deaths & Burials
District Runcorn
Collections from Great Britain, England

Not a son of Frederick:

Percy Edward Hewett
in the Cheshire, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1923
Name Percy Edward Hewett
Gender Male
Record Type Baptism
Baptism Date 3 Nov 1895
Baptism Place Thelwall, All Saints, England
Father
Edwin Hewett
Mother Elizabeth Hewett
Description Thelwall, All Saints. Baptisms
Page number 87

The Parish Register lists Fredericks home as Anderton Place. Percy's is not.
Although both read ***Waste Lane, Thelwall***

Thank you for the information.
Frederick didn’t have any sons but had 6 daughters.
He had a brother called Edwin who was born in Thelwall 1865 so it is possible that Percy Edward was his son therefore Fredericks nephew. I don’t have Edwin’s marriage to Elizabeth.
The death certificate for Frederick states address as Waste Lane. Thelwall.
Information appreciated.
Pat.

Edwin Hewett and Frederick Hewett were brothers.

1881 England Census
Street Address Weaste Lane White Lane Farm
Civil parish Thelwall
County/Island Cheshire
Country England


Household Members (Name) Age Relationship
Thomas Hewitt 57 Head
Elizabeth Hewitt 54 Wife
Thomas Hewitt 24 Son
Arthur Hewitt 21 Son
Emma A. Hewitt 19 Daughter
***Edwin Hewitt 17 Son
***Frederick J. Hewitt 12 Son
Thomas Hewitt 8 Grandson

Thomas and Elizabeth nee Johnson had as far as I know 10 children ranging from 1850 to 1869. 8 males and 2 females.
Many thanks to you both for the information.
Pat.

On what date was the death cert issued - and by whom?

The death certificate which I have a copy was registered on the 24th March, 1928.
Registration district was Runcorn sub district of Budworth, Cheshire. The coroner was Thomas Ridgeway and the inquest was on the 23rd March, 1928 the day after Frederick died. Death certificate just says drowned. No post-mortem. Both Frederick and Percy were buried on the same day.
It would seem that Frederick and Percy died about the same time but in different circumstances.
Very sad.
Pat.

The fact that no PM was carried out suggests that the Coroner considered the death to have been accidental.

It would have been unusual for the body to be released for burial so quickly had it been otherwise

HEWITT Edwin of Weaste-lane Farm Weaste-lane Thelwall near Warrington died 19 September 1925 at 18 Withnell-road South
Shore Blackpool Probate Chester II December to Elizabeth
Hewitt widow. Effects f4568 gs. Iod.

The above is the father of Percy Edwin who drowned in a pit. To leave over £4,000 in 1925 was quite a lot of money. Why he died in Blackpool I have no idea. Yet another conundrum.
Pat.

On holiday?

Who registered the death?

I wondered if it was possible to look for Percy Edward Hewitt on the 1901 or 1911 census to see if he had any siblings. I have tried to look myself on the Cheshire b.m.d but unfortunately the mother’s maiden names haven’t been included. His parents were Edwin and Elizabeth and they lived in Thelwall. Because Edwin and Elizabeth only married in 1894 Percy should be the first born.
Many thanks.

HEWITT, PERCY EDWARD mmn PLANT
GRO Reference: 1895 D Quarter in RUNCORN Volume 08A Page 202

Parents' marriage:

Marriages Sep 1894 (>99%)
Hewitt Edwin Northwich 8a 413
Plant Elizabeth Northwich 8a 413


Percy Hewitt
in the 1901 England Census
Name Percy Hewitt
Age 5
Estimated Birth Year abt 1896
Relation to Head Son
Gender Male
Father Edwin Hewitt
Mother Elizabeth Hewitt
Birth Place Thelwall, Cheshire, England
Civil parish Thelwall
Search Photos
View blank form
Ecclesiastical parish Thelwall All Saints
Town Thelwall
County/Island Cheshire
Country England
Registration district Runcorn
Sub-registration district Budworth
ED, institution, or vessel 14
Neighbors
Piece 3332
Folio 85
Page number 6
Household schedule number 33
Household Members (Name) Age Relationship
Edwin Hewitt 37 Head
Elizabeth Hewitt 30 Wife
Percy Hewitt 5 Son
Gilbert Marsha 18 Servant
Joseph Plant 18 Servant
Thomas Ward 30 Servant


Percy Hewitt
in the 1911 England Census
Name Percy Hewitt
Age in 1911 15
Estimated Birth Year abt 1896
Relation to Head Son
Gender Male
Birth Place Thelwall, Cheshire, England
Civil parish Grappenhall and Thelwall
County/Island Cheshire
Country England
Street Address Weaste Lane Thelwall Cheshire
Marital Status Single
Registration District Number 446
Sub-registration district Budworth
ED, institution, or vessel 15
Piece 21615
Household Members (Name) Age Relationship
Edwin Hewitt 46 Head
Elizabeth Hewitt 42 Wife
Percy Hewitt 15 Son
Joseph Plant 29 Servant


He had no siblings.
Search on the GRO site, which shows mmn.
https://www.gro.gov.uk

Many thanks ArgyllGran.
Information appreciated.
Pat.

I didn’t think that farmers would have been on holiday in September but who knows. I wondered if he had gone there to recuperate from an illness. I have written for the death certificate.
Pat.

Just found out that Percy did have a brother but was only born 31/1211914 so wouldn’t be on the 1911 census. He was Norman and married Doris Petts in 1944.
.

MMN is on the GRO website pre1911. FREE site…..make a note for future reference