Inaccurate info on death certs?

[British Viking]

Just wondered if this ever happened, for example if there was an element of embarassment attached to it in a stigma way such as dying in prison, convict en route to Australia dying on board ship, those hanged for crimes years ago, etc etc?

Thus the death reasons put down would be a sort of fabrication of the truth?

[Colin Moretti]

For most deaths in England and Wales after 1845 the cause was certified by a doctor and so should be accurate - see Barbara Dixon's certificate tutorial (home.clara.net/dixons/Certificates/deaths.htm#COL7 - put http:// in front). For deaths uncertifed by a doctor then all bets are off, just as with occupations, etc, in birth and marriage certificates and census returns.

I have one death cert where the cause is recorded as
Violent. Apnoea - cut throat by husband a lunatic now in an asylum so such things aren't spared.

Colin

[Peter Goodey]

Certainly not for institutional deaths which are the three examples quoted.

[British Viking]

you can tell I'm such a softie can't you - rather than the raiding villages, r*ping and pillaging sort of Viking of yore?