Update on the Downings

[Sally]

Thanks to those who helped with this wretchedly complicated line of my family, I have come close to unravelling most of the puzzles. Today I received the death certificate for my great great grandfather Nicholas who died in 1872, and I was fully expecting it to say "Consumption" as his parents and three brothers all died under this blanket description. (I suspect that it was more to do with the iron dust that they all constantly inhaled)......anyway, his death was due to Delirium Tremens, and it was not at home but in the Union Workhouse in Chester le Street. I have googled like mad, and have discovered that it most probably means that he was an alcoholic suffering from life threatening withdrawal symptoms. :eek: Well, obviously they were life threatening cos he died.
Anyway, it most probably explains why we cannot find him in 1871 because he was either lying in a gutter somewhere, or already in the workhouse. I am now going to plough through the enumeration districts in 1871 to see if I can find the Workhouse, and therefore him.

Tut.

[kiterunner]

The workhouse sometimes appears in an enumeration district all of its own, Sally.

[Sally]

Just found it Kate........and Nicholas was not there in 1871. If he was a total piddle artist, then he might well indeed have been slumped in a bar somewhere or in the street.

Oh the shame!!! (hehe, I am secretly delighted to have found a bit of scandal)

[Joan of Archives]

Was this the Nicholas Downey one I found for you? :o

[Sally]

yes Joanie, if you mean his death. The birth certificate says Downing clearly, so obviously the Workhouse just threw the details at the Registrar!!! Poor man, I wish that I could just get a glimpse of what his problems were that led him to this, although I can hazard a guess

[Joan of Archives]

Oh Sally how sad! I kind of wish I'd got it wrong now :(

What about the Workhouse records? Is it possible that they still exist at the Records Office for that area?

[Sally]

I have had an initial recce, and it seems that although some records exist for that year, there are few for individuals;(