Need help with death cert

[Burrow Digger]

I just recently received a death certificate (sort of knocking down one of my brick walls) and I need help with cause of death and the informant's first name.

http://www.geocities.com/exeter_opc/burrow_death1.jpg

The left hand side is cause of death - it looks like dropsy to me.

The right side is the informant - surname is Burrow - but first name (immediately under the large "the mark of" sign) looks like Emma.
I need confirmation, since both his wife and his daughter were named Emma.

Is it usual for the downstrokes of the m to be heavy and the arch-over at the top of the m to be light and therefore unreadable? The first letter is E and the last one is a. Emma is the only E name in the family. And if this is Emma - its more likely his wife assuming she never learnt to read/write.

Part 2 next post

Burrow Digger

[Burrow Digger]

At the date of her fathers death, the daughter Emma was not yet married, but I am assuming that in 1839 she is more likely to have learnt how to write her name. Would that be correct? Emma the daughter, was about 19-20 at the time.


The entire certificate reads as follows.

76
Fifth of February 1839 Ottery St Mary
John Burrow
Male
73 years
Labourer
Dropsey?
The mark of Emma? Burrow present at death Ottery St Mary
Eighth of February 1839
Registrars name (which I cant read)

Burrow Digger

[jeremyf]

For information on Dropsy, assuming the e is a misspelling try http://w3.whosea.org/techinfo/dropsy.htm

[Burrow Digger]

Was it normal for English people to consume large amounts of mustard oil adulterated with oil of prickly poppy?

I'm not concerned about the medical aspect of this right now. I can find that information later. I just need confirmation that the word is correct.

BD

[Geoffers]

The left hand side is cause of death - it looks like dropsy to me.Yes, Dropsy, it looks to be spelt Dropsay in the certificate.


The right side is the informant - surname is Burrow - but first name (immediately under the large "the mark of" sign) looks like Emma.Yes, Emma


Is it usual for the downstrokes of the m to be heavy and the arch-over at the top of the m to be light and therefore unreadable?Yes, very common as a result of using the type of pen available then. If you're not used to it, try either purchasing a quill pen - or - make one and try to copy the style of writing.

Apart from the fun of making a mess (you may need a young child present to use an excuse for making said mess); you do learn a lot about the way people wrote and formed letters. and so how to read older scripts.

Why are there no smilies of ink-blots.?
Geoffers (age 5 3/4)

[Burrow Digger]

Thanks Geoffers.

You've given me a great idea for the long weekend coming up. And I have the required young child - he turns 3 next week. :)

Maybe I shall do just that. find some feathers, and ink and write. My son would love that. Great idea :)

BD

[Geoffers]

TYou've given me a great idea for the long weekend coming up. And I have the required young child - he turns 3 next week. :)

Maybe I shall do just that. find some feathers, and ink and write. My son would love that. Great idea
I've found goose feathers to be good, use a sharp craft knife to cut the quill and make sure 3 year-olds fingers stay out of the way, writing in blood isn't to be recommended.

Geoffers

[Guy Etchells]

Quite so, time to pass on a tip I was given many years ago.
To fashion a quill form it in the shape of a woman from the chest down and cut off just above the knee. ;-)

Cheers
Guy