General Chat

I have an ancestor who was alive in 1814 at the age of 47. She doesn't appear in the burial records for St Matthew Bethnal Green where so many of her relations are buried, nor in any of the other East End parishes on Ancestry. Her husband and one of her sons are buried in 1833 and 1831 respectively at the Gibraltar Walk Burying Ground in Bethnal Green but she's not there either (or in any of the other Non Conformist cemeteries according to the Non Conformist BMD website), doesn't seem to be alive in 1841 and doesn't appear in the death indices so looks to have been dead before then. Bit stumped with her to be honest:)

could she have remarried, I know thats unlikely because of age but maybe she and OH split before his death.
was she born in the area or could her parents have buried her where they lived or her children even if they moved away, Mum may have gone to live with them after hubby died in 1833 and died there before 1841 ..check all her children out.

Did she have a name that could be shortened or altered?
Ann to Annie etc?or a surname with more than one spelling?
or just under an initial?

or just do an all Boro search}?

Maybe not with English relatives, however some of my Scottish ancestors appeared on census records in their maiden name ( and they were married) and even listed as a wife with their husbands.I've also found at least one buried in her maiden name only and they weren't separated or anything. Perhaps a long shot.

Another long shot....re her husband's burial, perhaps undertaker records exist which may list who paid for the grave. Perhaps the local record office holds these details. For some of my local family I have found burial records and undertaker records for the same person. I was lucky on one to find out who the grave belonged to but can't remember off the top of my head whether it listed who paid for the funeral for definite.

It may or may not narrow her date of death down.

Have you checked newspapers for obituaries. Some newspapers are searchable online.

Could she have been an inmate at Bethnal Green Lunatic Asylum?
There seems to be a bit of cock up with their record keeping during this period.

Thanks everyone:) I got busy after writing this so will look properly later but quickly -

All the family (parents children and grandchildren) stayed in London, pretty much in the East End/ City so it's unlikely (but not impossible of course) that she's buried outside. I do have the lives of almost all her children sorted, other than one son who probably died between 1804 and 1812 and one other son, who I can find no trace of.

She had a unusual French surname - almost all those who appear on census, PRs and in all BMDs are related - have tried all variations I have ever come across and even tried on her christian name and rough age without success.

SRS, I have only ever found that on Scottish census but have worth a try, although she would then appear in the death indices? I have searched all the newspaper sites for the C19th that know of but they were a silk weaving family on their uppers by this time and there are no wills for this particular lot

Newbs, the burials for St Matthew are not complete on Ancestry but I have searched the actual registers and found nothing. Shec ould have been in the Lunatic Asylum I suppose

Uzzi, a marriage after 1814 would probably be on Ancestry - not sure what ones are missing actually

Sorry, do I sound a bit negative lol

what was her French name. ?

I'm not going to put specifics up in this case, Uzzi - too many nutters about;)

Perhaps her death was not ever recorded.

That's what worries me Foggy - it could be there are Non Conformist burial places I don't know of. Probably need to do some investigating:)

Uggers, perhaps a trip to Kew.?

Definitely Foggy:) I have another thing I'm very keen to find so I think I shall try and get there soon. Thank you:)

How well off was the family? Would she be in a workhouse in her old age?

Evening SRS - I would think it quite likely if she could have ended up in the workhouse - they were all silk weavers and by this time they were generally on their uppers.

Could she have died in the French Hospital? It was a charitable hospital set up by the Huguenots. Can't remember where it was located at the time but if you google them there's loads of info.

Thanks Janet but she doesn't appear either in the Hospital records or the associated charity records. She doesn't want to be found:)

She was buried under the patio of course ;-p

lol Cat, well I was wondering;))