Genealogy Chat

I put a request for help on here about a week ago as to how I could find out about an ancestor who had murdered his wife. I have since found out that he didn't actually kill her. Apparently he cut her throat and believing she was dead he cut his own throat. He died but she didn't. His name is Matthew Youll. He was born in Shotton Co. Durham in 1876 but lived in Thornley Co. Durham all his life. He married Hannah Mary Welch in 1903. They had a son Matthew in 1906. I have found Hannahs death in 1917 on Free B.M.D. but no more sign of Matthew. The last time I can find him is on 1901 census living in the pub where he eventually died. I was thinking that maybe Matthew married again after Hannah died and it was his second wife he tried to kill but I can't find a second marriage for him either. I'ts got my head spinning!! If any of you good people can help in any way I'd be so gratefull. Maureen

Maybe you should get the 1917 death cert, just to be certain it is the right person. Have you trawled the GRO indexes on Ancestry or 1837online for events for Matthew after 1917? There is very little transcribed onto FreeBMD after about 1910....In fact, I couldn't see any Youll deaths on there after 1911! Merry

Thanks for your reply Merry. Yes, I trawled through Ancestry for a week from1903-1923 searching one year at a time until I realised that a general search brings all records up! There's not that many Youlls on there at all. I'm almost sure the death for Hannah is the right one as Thornley was ( and still is ) a small village.Also Hannahs death age coresponds with her marriage age. I can't really afford to search 1837 without an approx date. I've also paid to search durhamonline records without any luck. Maureen

You can view the images on Ancestry in exactly the same way as on 1837online, except that Ancestry is free. Just click on the little view image icon to the right of each line of results. Reg

Maureen I am a little confused by your message at the top of the page. You said that Matthew cut his wife's throat & thinking she was dead he killed himself but his wife survived. Then you say you have found her death in 1917? surely he would already be dead if she survived him? Georgina.

Hi Ozibird, I think it must be time for my bed I just couldn't grasp the story thanks for the explanation. Georgina.

Thank you all for taking time to reply to me. Ozbird, you got it right ! Georgina, it is all very confusing is'nt it. I have searched Ancestry quarter by quarter, as I said it took me a week searching in my spare time. I've been told though that the records on Ancestry aren't complete. I was happy when I found his wifes death date thinking that obviously Matthew must have died before that, but as there was no death date for him I then thought that maybe that wife(Hannah) had died naturally and he had then remarried. Once again there was no entry for a marriage. In fact the last time there is a Matthew Youll on Ancestry records is his sons birth. Oh well, it was worth a try. Thanks again. Maureen

Surname Forename(s) Year District TURNER Mary A 1929 Durham Eastern Q3 YOULL Matthew 1929 Durham Eastern Any good??

Just got in from work and saw your reply Marie. Where did you get the info? It looks interesting. I don't mind paying for 1837 as long as I have some idea of the approx year so I'm off to do a search. Will let you know any results. Thanks again. Maureen

hi maureen went onto ukbmd site. left hand side put in durham county. can't remember which one it was, but it was free to look up. good luck marie just had a look and think it was the northeast bmd site.