Genealogy Chat

For the last couple of years I have been looking for two people. I found a death record matching name and birthday for one of them and sent for the certificate, confident (how naive of me) that I would then be able to trace the informant and get a lead to the other person. Certificate came this morning and I don’t understand what’s behind it. I do understand the cause of death, which was complications following an abdominal aortic aneurysm. The words ‘”massive gastrointestinal bleed” make me wonder whether alcohol was implicated in the death. The deceased died in one of the big London hospitals. Certificate gives name (and alias) and date of birth. One of the names and the date of birth match the person I am looking for. There is no occupation or usual address and the informant simply gives a name, the address of the hospital and, in ‘Qualification’, “causing the body to be cremated.” Although the deceased died on April 24th, the death was not registered until May 30th. What might have happened? Might he have collapsed in the street without ID and been only able to give his name and date of birth? Could he have been homeless or living rough? What is the procedure if someone comes into hospital under those circumstances? Does the hospital try to trace next of kin? If so, how? Is there anybody about with hospital admin or A & E experience that could advise? Thanks Sheila

How very sad. If they gave date of birth and two names I would have thought that he was compos mentis (?) when he went into hospital or the person who informed knew him. I had this 'causing body to be buried' on one of mine. I checked out the last known addy of my step grandad who was the deceased and found on the electoral roll that the informant was just the owner of the lodging house where he was living.

Heather Even a lodging house owner would be better than just someone from the hospital! It sounds like a sada and lonely death to me, especially for a relatively young man. Sheila

I don't know what happens these days, but in the 'old' days (say upto the 1980s) every hospital had an Almoner whose job it was to deal with this kind of situation. She would have spoken to the chap and got as much info out of him as she could and tried to contact any relatives. After your relative died, then efforts would be made to trace the next of kin, using National Insurance records etc. This probably accounts for the delay between death and burial/registration. If no relative could be traced then the hospital arranges burial/cremation, usually through the local Council, who provide a basic funeral. And I have often heard of nurses and almoners, and social workers, going to the funeral of someone, so that they do not make their final journey alone. Yes, a sad end - but at least he died in hospital, in a clean bed and with caring nurses around him. There are worse ways to die, bless him. OC

Thanks OC - I'd forgotten about the Almoner, but I suppose someone with a fancy title is now fulfilling that role. Just to be clear he is not my relative, but when I get this straight in my own mind I then have to tell his brother. Thanks again Sheila

Having been a nurse, my name will crop up on a few certificates because I was present at the death. When being cremated, 2 doctors signatures are also needed on the paperwork. Google aneurism, I'm sure that will help you. Elaine

Elaine's post has reminded me - I appear as 'present at the death' of an elderly chap who died in the OP home I worked in. They will be very puzzled when they see my name - I was employed, briefly, as a relief cook, and was asked if I would stay on after my shift to sit with an old gentleman who was dying, as they were short staffed. (This home had a policy that someone always sat with a dying person). We were absolutely no relation to each other at all, and I probably wouldnt be traceable as a member of staff, as I never had a contract. The deep irony of this occasion was that when I finally got home that night, there was a message on my answerphone to say that my own father was desperately ill. I got to the hospital too late - he had died. I hope that someone was with him. OC

Hi Sheila A burst AAA would cause a massive gastrointestinal bleed,nothing to do with alcholism he basically would have lost the majority of his blood volume into his belly. They bleed to death within minutes. I would imagine the delay in registering the death would be due to a postmortem,if he died in the hospital in a way that they wernt quite expecting or if he died after surgery it would be common practise. Regards Tania

I think we have to be careful not to try and read too much into these things. The fact that that a member of his family was not the informant doesn't mean he was alone in the world. My own father died tragically in 1980 and due to the circumstances both a Post Mortem and an Inquest was held. We were not allowed to register the death, even though we would have liked to and it was done by certificate issued from the coroners' office.

Hi Tania Thanks for the explanation. I checked the certificate and there was a PM, but no inquest. Let me know if I can do anything else for you on the other matter. Sheila