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Following a more specific thread, on Genealogy Chat, about Find my Past's death duty index, I have another piece to add to this puzzle. Being unfamiliar with the Index site I needed guidance as to what exactly I was looking at, especially as the handwriting was somewhat indecipherable.
It turns out that the year of the document I turned up, was 1888 and the unreadable residence location is Stow Park (Pk actually) It is definitely therefore Mary Ruth Dawson's entry, executor Thomas Dawson. There is an odd line no-one can work out 'ab 20 ????' - I think it may be ' about 20th June' : I don't know if it is important? The will was 'not proved' To date no-one has come back to me on whether this means that It is no longer retained anywhere and so no copy is available for purchase. Maybe better if I leave that question to the other thread so as not to double up?
But as far as this thread goes Mary Ruth Dawson died, as many of you suggested, in 1888.

I wonder if she was travelling between Northumberland and Wales?

Thanks Jude
Yes , I know Mary Ruth was still alive in 1881 and living in Wales. I even know that she was still around in August 1886, when Olive Ruth was born in Newport Wales. She had however vanished off the radar by 1891 and I discovered that on 10/12/1889, Thomas Dawson had married a Mary Ann Powell and they, and Mary Ruth's mother and children were all living together in St Woolos Newport.
Both Thomas and Mary Ruth had roots, going back generations in Durham and Northumberland and family did, and still do, live there.
! have no problem with the 1888 date but the location puzzles me. I am going to have to order that pesky cert, aren't I?
I'm no nearer to finding where and when Thomas died though. It could be any time after 1911 and there are dozens of certs I could choose from.
Just a LITTLE more information on online death lists would make that choice so much easier but then there isn't a lot more on the actual certificate.

Name: Mary R. Dawson
Age: 32
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1849
Relation: Wife
Spouse's Name: Thomas Dawson
Gender: Female
Where born: Hartlepool, Durham, England
Civil parish: St Woollos
County/Island: Monmouthshire
Country: Wales
Street Address: 32 Watch House Parade
Education: View image
Employment status: View image
Registration district: Newport
Sub-registration district: Newport
ED, institution, or vessel: 19
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 5264
Folio: 25
Page Number: 43
Household Members:
Name Age
Thomas Dawson 35
Mary R. Dawson 32
Eleanor J. Dawson 6
Frederick G. Dawson 3
Gwendoline M. Dawson
Mary Ann Mark 26
Mary Ann Collier 15

So this definitely does match the death!

As far as Mary Ruth is concerned I think I am going to have to try Birmingham: bite the bullet and buy the certificate. But what she would have been doing there goodness knows?
It will have to wait however until I am back in the UK in six weeks time.

I still can't find death dates, or even years for Mary Ruth Dawson, or husband Thomas Dawson! I have searched all my usual avenues, GR, Find my Past, Ancestry, Free BMDs, Family Search, Curious Fox. I have scoured the search facilities and also investigated the trees of others with similar interest.I've looked at old newspapers. Nothing!! I just don't know where else to look?
There have been a few 'possibles ' but nothing that really makes sense.
Any suggestions?
I can't access the National Burial Index as it isn't Mac compatible.

Not exactly the direction I was hoping to go in but I have found Thomas Dawson's parents. In 1851 he and they were living in Tynemouth. His father was one Errington Dawson (1817-1873), a butcher, and his mother was Jane formerly Birbeck.

Thanks for that Jude.
I'll take a look at Google Street view.

Based on the Newport of today....he certainly did move up in the world!

Jude

Thomas & family, according to Census records, were living at 165 Commercial Road, Newport in the 1870s. Then32 Watch House Parade. Then Stow Park Circus St Woolos. I don't know Newport at all but I think he must have improved his lot over the years?

I don't know about the death in Birmingham in June 1888?
Age seems OK - but Birmingham seems a bit awry. As far as I know we have never had any connection with that part of the country?
I'll do a bit more research on this.

I don't have too much success with FreeBMDs. I must be doing something wrong. When I typed in the details I got 'No results found' or similar.

Thanks Reggie
These more recent events are such a shot in the dark. If one isn't careful one can end up with stacks of useless certificates.
Thanks for your input.
I can only hope that someone with a personal knowledge reads this.

Yes, I have looked at the census records and know that he was alive and kicking in 1911.
As for assuming death before a re-marriage. I hardly think his wife's mother would be living with him and his second wife if it was otherwise?

Had a quick look......this is the only one which relates to the stated birth year

England & Wales, Death Index: 1916-2006
Name: Thomas Dawson
Birth Date: abt 1846
Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1935
Age at Death: 89
Registration district: Kington
Inferred County: Herefordshire
Volume: 6a
Page: 615

Only the cert would confirm - or not.

Hello Reggie
I believe that Thomas Dawson was born in North Shields, Northumberland, although the exact location varies from census to census. I have no idea when he went to Wales.
The Gills came originally from Stranton, Hartlepool County Durham

So you know that you need to start from 1911 to look for Thomas's death

1911 Wales Census

Name: Thomas Dawson
Age in 1911: 66
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1845
Relation to Head: Head
Gender: Male
Birth Place: North Shields, Northumberland, England
Civil parish: Newport
County/Island: Monmouthshire
Country: Wales
Street Address: Stow Park Circus Newport Mon
Marital Status: Married
Years Married: 21
Estimated Marriage Year: 1890
Occupation: Ship Store Merchant
Registration district: Newport
Registration District Number: 587
Sub-registration district: Newport
ED, institution, or vessel: 11
Household schedule number: 271
Piece: 31970
Household Members:
Name Age
Thomas Dawson 66
Mary Ann Dawson 51
Thomas Birbeck Dawson 28
Olive Ruth Dawson 24
Herbert Percy Dawson 20
Mary Lizzie Davies 24
Nora Bourne 22

For INFO

1891 Wales Census

Name: Thomas Dawson
Age: 45
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1846
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Mary Ann Dawson
Gender: Male
Where born: North Shields, Northumberland, England
Civil parish: St Woollos
Ecclesiastical parish: St Woollos
County/Island: Monmouthshire
Country: Wales

Registration district: Newport
Sub-registration district: Newport
ED, institution, or vessel: 12
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 4372
Folio: 133
Page Number: 36
Household Members:
Name Age
Thomas Dawson 45
Mary Ann Dawson 39
Gwendoline M Dawson 10
T Birbeck Dawson 8
Charles E Dawson 7
Olive Ruth Dawson 5
Herbert P Dawson 2/12
Eleanor Gill 69
Louisa B Treharne 24
Mary Hurley 21
Emily S Smith 22
Mary A Richards 19

have you looked for Thomas in censuses, to try to get a time-scale for his death?

SORRY!! Thomas married Mary RUTH Gill in 1873