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Headstone Age Different To Age on Death Register

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ProfilePosted byOptionsPost Date

Kate

Kate Report 1 Oct 2009 12:03

Good point from Gail, there. My great-grandad (born 24/07/1860) was 8 months in 1861, 10 in 1871, 18 in 1881, 29 in 1891 and 37 in 1901. On his head stone it says he's 81 (he died 28/01/1941) - also his wife was noted to be 74 years old and I know she was only 72 years and 3 months if you go by her birth date.

It may easily be that the person who organised the stone was not the same one who organised the registration, so the two may never have known they'd provided different dates. Or perhaps there was a debate between the children/grandchildren over how old he was - maybe whoever ordered it wasn't actually sure?

With the internet now, it's amazing to think that my mum never knew her parents' marriage date until I found the reference and got the certificate, but if somebody was not very forthcoming about dates, that could make it awkward too.

ChristineinPortugal

ChristineinPortugal Report 1 Oct 2009 08:35

What is the name you are looking for, someone else may be able to help in finding the correct one for you.

Christine

GranOfOzRubySlippers

GranOfOzRubySlippers Report 1 Oct 2009 03:48

The headstone may not be reliable, I have found two of mine with the wrong death year on the headstones. Both with the correct death certificate and one with newspaper entry to back it up.

So headstones not always correct, there can be errors with everything.

Gail

Kim

Kim Report 30 Sep 2009 22:29

Hi Kath,

There is a listing for his name in 1897 birth registers which I have wondered about but thought the date was too late. Maybe that could be him after all. Fingers crossed that I get an accurate marriage cert.

Kim.

KathleenBell

KathleenBell Report 30 Sep 2009 21:29

My grandmother's age is different (and wrong) on her marriage certificate, her death certificate and her headstone. Luckily I have her birth certificate so I know how old she really was.

Kath. x

Kim

Kim Report 30 Sep 2009 21:01

Yes I will definately need the marriage certificate. I cannot find him using any of those years of birth on the 1901 census. Thank you all for the advice.

Gwyn in Kent

Gwyn in Kent Report 30 Sep 2009 20:57

What age is given on his marriage certificate and when?
The cert. should name his father too, making it easier to find the correct family in the census.

Gwyn

MargaretM

MargaretM Report 30 Sep 2009 20:56

Do you have his marriage certificate? If not might be a good idea to get that to get his father's name.

Researching:
Great grandmother Dorothy Bean nee Abbott (1858-1908)

Kim

Kim Report 30 Sep 2009 20:50

My g.grandfathers headstone reads "died on 21/05/1944 aged 51" but the entry in the death register for Apr-Jun 1944 gives his age as 49. This means he was born either 1892/93 or 1894/95. In order to find the right person in the 1901 census I need an accurate birth year in order to place him with the right family. Does anybody know which date to trust more? Thanks.