Death Cert age guesstimates

[v.wells]

I have found what I think is a "good" death registration but since the birth yr is too early by 10 yrs could such a big discrepancy be possible? Another one I found that would be "good" is missing the birth year and of course there is no age recorded. I have checked freeBMD and it shows the same thing. I am now having to decide which of the 2 I should order. I can understand if the birth year was off a couple but 10 yrs?

[pipsqueak]

That's a hard one. At the time of registering a death I don't suppose they asked for proof of birthdate and perhaps the relatives gave the age they thought.

I'd say follow your first instinct.

[Guy Etchells]

Impossible to say on the limited information given.
If the person concerned was say 5 years old a difference of 10 years would be very unlikely. If the person was 95 years old a difference of 10 years could be very likely.
How well did the informant know the deceased?
What was the year of death, a later year of death often the more chance of an accurate age?

When asking questions on a forum it is always best to give as much information as possible.
Cheers
Guy

[Peter Goodey]

I am now having to decide which of the 2 I should order.

When you receive the certificate, how will you tell whether it's the right one?

That's a serious question because if you have a foolproof way of identifying the 'right' one, you could get GRO to do the checking for you.

[Geoffers]

I have found what I think is a "good" death registration but since the birth yr is too early by 10 yrs could such a big discrepancy be possible? Another one I found that would be "good" is missing the birth year and of course there is no age recorded. I have checked freeBMD and it shows the same thing. I am now having to decide which of the 2 I should order. I can understand if the birth year was off a couple but 10 yrs?

As mentioned, difficult to say on the details given.

Was this an adult? Did he/she leave a will/admon? If so, you may be able to identify which entry by referring to the probate calendar which gives more detail than the GRO death index.

How close was this death to a census, can you identify both the deceased in the previous census and does this then help at all?

[suedent]

A huge age gap is possible if they died away from home eg. in the workhouse. If there were no relatives to give information the informant would give what they knew/guessed.

My gg-grandfather George Glover died in Bodmin Workhouse, the age given on his certificate was 88, he was in fact 77. If it hadn't been for the fact that he was the only person in the Bodmin area of that name, & in that approximate age range, I might never have found him.

Thankfully the informant gave the information that he was a "farm labourer of St Mabyn", his occupation & home village, & that clinched it for me.

[v.wells]

All valid points and which I had already considered.

I have 4 William and William Henry Stuarts I am looking at. I thought I had them all sorted and whom was married to whom but I will have to recheck further. What caused this was that John Stuart is listed as a stepson of Walter & Amelia Chester (previously Stuart) married to William Stuart b 1844 but that William is at his father's house in 1871 with his sister presumably to help dad as his wife had just died. William is missing on the 61 census with Amelia so I assumed he had died so I found a death in 1863 - he was a blacksmith. So I have to go back and start following again to make sure the right William's are where they are supposed to be. In the 1861 census Amelia is a house servant at a bil's with all her children. If you're confused, I am twice that!

[apehangmom]

Hey could you have found a brother or cousin... that is named the same... But I re read all the previous posts.. you still could have your guy... there are alot of good arguments... on checking against a will and having census checks... wait a bit maybe some one here can still help. thanks chris

[v.wells]

Thanks Chris but now I really have to double check as I have discovered that the William I want is also has the middle name Henry so that is 3 out of 4 William Henry's I have to deal with. They are all probably William Henry's. Life is a JOY!

PS None were landowners just ag labs and a couple of blacksmiths so no wills here to look for.

[Waitabit]

Soooooooooo glad someone else also has the "William" thing going on in their Family. It's a wonderful name isn't it?

I'm hoping for another cert. delivery today to sort out one of my 6.

Here's help for you Vanessa