Genealogy Chat

Hello, wondered if anyone could recommend a website on flu epidemics of the past. I lost 4 members of my family in the same year (1919) at a time when I believe Spanish flu was doing the rounds. I thought it would be interesting to see what effect past epidemics have had. I plan at some point to buy all the death certificates and confirm the details but am keeping a low profile at the moment until credit card bill lands!! Many thanks Maria

Have you tried searching on google? I have a great uncle whose first wife died in the Spanish Flu epidemic in 1919 - she was sadly pregnant at the time and only 19 years old. She was so ill the family broadcast a message on the radio to appeal for her family to get in touch as she was dying.

Hi If you google you will probably find something. I had three died in 1866, I went to the registry office, £10 per hour and found their deaths, Two Typhoid the other was gastric flu all within months of each other 20-34 yr old. I found their death's in the Mi's in the library and I was curious as to what they died of. Marion

Thanks for your interest. I have googled and its mostly American stuff. Really sad about your young relative. I lost my gg uncle who had just come back from serving in WW1, his wife and two children 3 and 5 - what a waste! Just when they probably thought the future was bright. I could cry sometimes. Thanks again Maria

My grandmother died from the flu epidemic in 1918 when mum was two weeks old and her sister four. jenny

Hi Maria there is one, but as I'm at work I can't remember what it is now - I lost my great grandmother to the 1918 flu epidemic - it started as soldiers returned from the great war bringing colds and influenza strains that had never been seen before with them, it quickly spread to their wifes and children and special hospitals were set up to deal with it. If I can find it when I get home I will let you have the addy, but as someone else said if you google 'flu epidemic 1918' it should be there somewhere. Good hunting Looby

Try this replace * with . http://www*spartacus*schoolnet*co*uk/FWWinfluenzia*htm Marion

Thanks Marian. A really interesting read though horrible to think of family members 'bleeding from every orifice' and literally drowning to death. It must have been a terrifying time. Best wishes Maria

There was a major flu epidemic in the 1890s in Britain, as well as the notorious 1919 version. But lots of folk would have died of other strains of flu too - the 1919 one died out within a few months, after it had attacked everyone who wasn't immune.