Genealogy Chat

Thank you Merry, I stand corrected! :-))))

Forgot to add - there WAS an inquest. The death was based on information from the Birmingham Coroner. Cynthia

Thanks Rachael, that seems the most likely explanation. I was hoping for something a little more dramatic though, to liven up (whoops, sorry!) my boring old rellies though *sigh* Cynthia x

Ummmmmmmm just a tiny correction..... A2A isn't a database of everything held at archives around the country........it's a data base of SOME records held at various places around the country. Some institutions have added LOADS to the site, but some hardly any.........just in case you were thinking if you didn't find something on A2A then it doesn't exist! Good Luck Merry

Afraid Inquest reports dont seem to have a long life. I couldnt get my GGF from 1912. But a very kind soul looked up the newspaper report of the death for me.

Christine - A2A is free to use, the address is http://www.a2a(.)org(.)uk/default.asp It's a database of everything held at archives around the country. You find what you want through 'search'. Although it's not a great search engine. I couldn't find my great x2 grandmother's inquest on there searching under her name, I found it when I entered the name of her farm!!

Christine - Have you tried looking at the website A2A? I've found inquests on there. Otherwise try to find out where the local paper archives are held. My library has the archive of local papers on microfilm, and they have helped me obtain copies of the newspaper reports on a couple inquests. They make interesting reading. Rachelxx

I think this might imply a fit which caused death. Some old people thought epilepsy was caused by evil spirits - a bit late for such a diagnosis though. On balance I prefer Rachel's explanation.

According to the Archiac Medical Terms website Apoplexy is - 'A sudden loss of sensation and movement due to a disturbance of blood supply to the brain; a stroke With specifying word: a haemorrhage or failure of blood supply in another organ Any sudden rapidly fatal disease' and Visitation of God - 'Probably means Old Age or natural causes It had been said that death from Visitation of God might imply a punishment from God of someone who was sinful, but it could also mean someone who was blessed by God because they were spared from enduring a distressing illness or they were rewarded for their virtuous life by admission the heaven. I think it means natural causes' The website is - http://www.paul_smith.doctors(.)org(.)uk/ArchaicMedicalTerms.htm (Remove brackets) Rachelxx

It usually says on the death cert if there was an inquest. Who was the informant? If there was an inquest the informant was sometimes the coroner. Margaret

I think it would have been a stroke. I doubt whether you will find an inquest report for something like this. Kath. x

How about this then! I picked up a death cert for my Gtx3 Grandfather and this was the cause of death in 1866: 'Serious Apoplexy By Visitation of God (Immediate).' What do you reckon - struck by lightning, a vision on the road to Damascus or what? Answers please on a black-bordered postcard!! I shall have to try and access the Inquest Report I guess.