Genealogy Chat

My mum used to say that too - it used to worry me silly if I had sat on a cold step or wall! The other thing was, "dont make that face, itll stay like that if the wind changes". Now funnily enough I read an article a few years back in which it was said that extreme cold could damage the facial nerves and leave your face in a set expression. Some of these old wives tales do have substance, dont they. Dare say some of our poor ancestors ended up freezing cold with their faces set forever in a grimace.

chincough was a term for whooping cough. have got a book of causes of death and old medical terms - oh and one of early occupations

Chincough is something they must have had up north! When I was growing up in Hull back in the dark ages if you sat on a cold doorstep or on the pavement you were always told "you'll get cincough. Never did find out what it was".

One of my ancestors died of "Softening of the Brain". Does that mean he was a bit soft in the head and is it hereditary? Another one's death certificate was more specific. He died "At about 2 o'clock in the afternoon of Monday 2nd November 1845 at Watlington Town Hall of an Appoplexy". Nothing to do with the consumption of a liquid lunch I presume?

I have two - "Drowned, Fell down a well" but the best I have says simply "Old Age"

I have a female ancestor who was found dead in an alley and was believed to have been murdered but the death certificate says "heart attack brought on by extreme fear or extreme excitement" so I'm afraid I shall never know whether she died happy or sad!!!!! Chrissie

Sounds like my husband, whenever anyone asks what someone died of, he always replies "lack of oxygen to the brain". Diarrhoea for 24 days? I think I'd want to die after that! Carole

The one legged guy who died without hurt reminded me of the Irish phrase, "He died in the best of health". My Dad always amuses me when asked what someone has died from, always replies "Lack of breath". Its a wonder no one cert has come up with that yet.

I haven't seen the cert, just a file note from someone else saying all this, but I'm very tempted to order the cert just to see what it says! His poor old wife, incidently, was left short of cash all her life! Oooh, scandal! Lisa

Lisa, Did they actually put that down as cause of death, did they? Incredible, by the way this question of mine will also nudge this up to the top, I am awaiting a cert at the moment I am really hoping for something juicy to add to these incredible posts, (havent had one yet) probably be something really mundane, hope it didnt hurt i.e Marion like the fellow with the leg? LOL Pat x

I can't remember what the cause of death was, but one of my rellies died "in the company of his housekeeper". He left all his money to her, and made it plain that the didn't want his wife to get anything "having lived apart from her many years" I have laughed till I cried about some of these - pies, teeth, lettuce, bled to death and old age to name but a few. Keep this one going please! Lisa

Aw bless him. I dont suppose they had death by chocolate in them days?

What is explosive drinking? Some kind of potent cocktail perhaps? Sounds like quite an enjoyable way to go.

Just been looking at Bishop transcripts for Carlton Snaith somes causes of death were:- died of a mortification of one leg without any hurt an abcess on his back a remitting fever age 1 yr getting teeth chin cough found dead by explosive drinking as recoreded by the coroner complaint of the bowels decline a stoppage in the throat killed by drinking gin as recorded by the coroner Jan

Reading Helens contribution reminds me,there used to be a very funny little book called 'The book of Grave Humour' We had it in the sixties so I don't know if it is still available but Amazon might know..It is shaped like a tombstone and is recordings of final messges from tombstones. Rose

What on earth is 'rising of the lights'? Teeth I can understand,my grandmother used to talk about something called killer boils, anything festering on the face,which would include abcesses of the teeth would kill you off if the poison travelled up into your brain. She used to get quite panic stricken if we had a boil on our upper regions. The poor souls, what they must have endured. Rose

I dont know if any of you saw Tony Robinsons "Worst Jobs in History" programme on tv last night - I only caught it on way though. Anyway, he was talking about the poor devils who had to go to a house when someone died and decide what they had died from (only a local pensioner, mind you, not a doctor). Anyway, there was a list of reasons given briefly on the screen and my eyes were drawn to "Teeth and Worms". Oh my god, what a way to go.

Thanks for all the laughs everyone!This thread is brilliant.I can't contribute as I haven't sent away for any death certificates yet,it's always birth or marriage ones.Maybe I should send away for a few,as it has got me wondering.Thanks for explaining about pthsisis.When I was at primary school that word was always in the spelling tests and no-one knew what it meant,we were too scared to ask the teachers as well. Wendy

Not funny poor fellow but I've just come across one relative who had "dairrhoea - 24 days"!

A lot seems to depend on the individual registrar/doctor who certified death. Some of my relatives have 3 or more causes - any one of which was enough to kill them! Most of my certs are very medical - atheroma, carcinoma, intra-cerebral haemorrhage, purpura haemorrhagica, etc. I have just two in simple English - flooding after childbirth, and senile decay. For which read _ bled to death and old age! nell