Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 15

Hybrid View

Previous Post Previous Post   Next Post Next Post
  1. #1
    Starting to feel at home
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    australia
    Posts
    34

    Default Death notice query ?

    Hi,
    Is there anyone that may be able to through some light on the death notices of my great-grandfather which appeared in Sydney Morning Herald on Saturday December 24, 1887. It is the second notice that bewilders me greatly....the Friends of Mr Robert Waddell are respectfully invited to attend the funeral of his father-in-law etc. Why has Robert Waddell been favoured as a relative, when there were a wife and several other sons-in-law, daughters and sons living in Sydney at that time. Any possible explanations ??? I am afraid I don't have any and I have no contact or personal knowledge of Robert Waddell except that he was married to Annie Harrison (my great-great Aunt) in 1879 and he died in 1896. Did he have some standing that may have led to the funeral notice !!!!!
    Here are the notices as they appeared:
    Funerals.
    SMH, Saturday December 24, 1887 p.18.
    THE FRIENDS OF MR THOMAS SIMPSON HARRISON, are respectfully invited to attend his Funeral, to move from his late residence, 54 Albert-street, Redfern, THIS (Saturday) AFTERNOON at 2 o’clock, for the Necropolis.
    __________________________________
    THE FRIENDS OF MR ROBERT WADDELL are respectfully invited to attend the Funeral of his FATHER-IN-LAW, Mr Thomas Simpson Harrison to move from his late residence, 54 Albert-street, Redfern, THIS (Saturday) AFTERNOON at 2 o’clock, for the Necropolis.

    Any thoughts ???? Best wishes,
    Ken Halliday.

  2. #2
    Philippa_Harvey
    Guest

    Default

    Ken, could it be that the son-in-law actually put the notice in the paper himself? The first could have been placed either by the immediate family or by the undertakers on their behalf, the second an independent submission by Thomas.

    In one of the papers I was looking at this week there are four notices for the same person, each put in by a different section of the family and a couple of friends. I imagine it would have been the same in the 1800s - if you paid the money the paper would print your entry.

    Philippa

  3. #3
    Super Moderator - Completely bonkers and will never change.
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    England
    Posts
    9,620

    Default

    I have absolutely no knowledge of how things are done in Australia , but following on from Philippa's comment of four notices for the same person, the way I would read the notices is that in the first one the friends of the deceased are invited to attend his funeral.
    In the second one, Robert Waddell is asking his own friends to attend the funeral of his father-in-law.
    Seems a strange sort of thing to do though, unless there weren't going to be many family members or friends attending, and therefore Robert wanted to try and get a few more people there.

    Pam

  4. #4
    Mutley
    Guest

    Default

    All of the above and ....

    Have you found any sort of connection with Thomas and Robert? Maybe they attended the same club, pub or association of some sort and Thomas was just known as Bob's dad or something similar so Robert was letting those associates know.

    For many years I was a Brown Owl, I don't suppose many knew my real name but would have known my daughter's name so she may have done something similar.

  5. #5
    malcolm99
    Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Mutley View Post
    Maybe they attended the same club, pub or association of some sort and Thomas was just known as Bob's dad or something similar so Robert was letting those associates know.
    I think that's likely to be the reason. I'm sure the same thing happens nowadays, albeit phrased differently and possibly now sent to friends and acquaintances by email.
    Last edited by malcolm99; 07-04-2012 at 8:49 PM. Reason: addition

  6. #6
    Mutley
    Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by malcolm99 View Post
    I think that's likely to be the reason. I'm sure the same thing happens nowadays, albeit phrased differently and possibly now sent to friends and acquaintances by email.
    These days I imagine, the information would go out by email but also by Facebook, Twitter and
    the dreaded texts. "any1 tht nos d i l pls cum 2.00 sat 24/12 @54 Albert st redfern. D o h"

  7. #7
    Starting to feel at home
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    australia
    Posts
    34

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Pam Downes View Post
    I have absolutely no knowledge of how things are done in Australia , but following on from Philippa's comment of four notices for the same person, the way I would read the notices is that in the first one the friends of the deceased are invited to attend his funeral.
    In the second one, Robert Waddell is asking his own friends to attend the funeral of his father-in-law.
    Seems a strange sort of thing to do though, unless there weren't going to be many family members or friends attending, and therefore Robert wanted to try and get a few more people there.

    Pam
    Hi Pam,
    Nine replies overnight to my death notice query. Wonderful and thanks so much for your contribution...read and enjoy. The modern version of how the notice might read today really got me smiling !!!!
    Thanks,
    Ken.

  8. #8
    Philippa_Harvey
    Guest

    Default

    I have just thought of another, hopefully not common, reason for duplication of notices.

    Some years ago a friend of ours suicided. His wife was devastated and was in danger of losing their unborn child. Her mother in law berated her cruelly for not publishing a personal notice saying that obviously she didn't care as much as she pretended, and finished with the incredible statement "what will people think". Personally I could have smacked the old girl even though I realised that part of the reason was just plain grief at her own loss.

    As I said, hopefully that is not a "common" reason, but certainly real in this instance.

    Glad we have been able to help, Ken.

    Philippa

  9. #9
    Starting to feel at home
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    australia
    Posts
    34

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Philippa_Harvey View Post
    Ken, could it be that the son-in-law actually put the notice in the paper himself? The first could have been placed either by the immediate family or by the undertakers on their behalf, the second an independent submission by Thomas.

    In one of the papers I was looking at this week there are four notices for the same person, each put in by a different section of the family and a couple of friends. I imagine it would have been the same in the 1800s - if you paid the money the paper would print your entry.

    Philippa
    Hi Philippa,
    Nine replies overnight to my death notice query. Wonderful and thanks so much for your contribution...read and enjoy. The modern version of how the notice might read today really got me smiling !!!!
    Thanks,
    Ken.

  10. #10
    Starting to feel at home
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Tasmania Australia
    Posts
    80

    Default

    Ken, This seems to have been a particularly Sydney habit in 19th C. whereas Melbourne had the usual death notices from relatives and friends and a single funeral notice. My record so far was finding 6 different connections all inviting friends and relatives to attend. Heather

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Select a file: