Missing death record

[Kate P]

Hello everyone.

I've been looking for a death record for Elizabeth Allen BARNES née FREEMAN for years with no luck. Here's all the info I know.

Born in 1870 in Wednesbury, Staffordshire (parents David FREEMAN 1819-1888 and Mary Ann ARNOLD c. 1831-1922)
Located in the 1871 & 1881 censuses living with her family, and in the 1891 census working as a domestic servant
Married Henry BARNES on 6 Sept 1892 in Ecclesfield, Yorkshire and had 5 children from 1893-1904
Located in the 1901 census with only her children. I believe I've found her husband Henry living elsewhere as an 'inmate', but I can't glean any more info from the FamilySearch record.

According to our handwritten family history book (which cites Elizabeth's youngest child Tom as the source of this information), Elizabeth died in her 30s. This would've been between 1904-1910 (as her youngest child was born in 1904). There is close to no further information about Elizabeth in the book.

But in the 1911 census, her husband Henry's marital status is 'married' rather than 'widowed', suggesting Elizabeth may have still been alive at the time. Although, Elizabeth herself is nowhere to be found, and I've been unable to locate any death or burial record for her in the correct area.

All and any help is appreciated.

[Jomot1]

You haven't given any information about Henry Barnes except for his name so is this the 1901 record you're referring to:

South Yorkshire Asylum For The West Riding Of The County Of York, Wadsley Near Sheffield
Henry Barnes 34 married Farm Labourer born Doncaster. Lunatic

Where have you found him in 1911? Are the children with him, or elsewhere?

Added: Oh ,and hello & welcome

[Kate P]

Thanks for the welcome

I believe that's the correct 1901 record, yes. I was looking at the record on FamilySearch and it doesn't give any info other than 'inmate' somewhere in Ecclesfield. But all the other details add up with the one you've found.

In 1911, Henry is living with his children in Pontefract.

Name Henry Barnes
Sex Male
Age 43
Birth Year (Estimated) 1868
Birthplace Ecclesfield, Yorkshire
Marital Status Married
Occupation FARM LABOURER
Number in Family 4
Industry FARMING
Relationship to Head of Household Head
Event Type Census
Event Date 1911
Event Place Pontefract, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom

Here is the FamilySearch link to the 1911 census: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XWV5-8PQ

[Kate P]

Looking on FindMyPast, it seems Henry was admitted to South Yorkshire Asylum 3 times. In 1901, 1905, and 1908.

There's also an Elizabeth Barnes, a housewife born c. 1871, admitted to South Yorkshire Asylum in 1906. This may well be the Elizabeth I'm searching for, but since I don't have a FindMyPast subscription, I can't see any other info.

[Megan Roberts]

An Elizabeth Barnes of about the right age was admitted to Middlewood Hospital, Sheffield and discharged / died (its not clear which) 11 Dec 1914.

Similarly a lady of that name born 17 Nov 1870 was admitted to the Ecclesall Bierlow Workhouse in 1906.

The records for these are held by Sheffield Archives and the contact is [email protected]

There is also a story appeared in the Sheffield Daily Telegraph 4 June 1908 as follows:
Elizabeth Barnes, of Bonsall, was charged, in custody at Matlock yesterday, with neglecting her family of five young children, and with cruelty. The prosecution was taken for the NSPCC. She was sent to gaol for one month with hard labour.

Bonsall is in Derbyshire near Matlock, so it may well not be the same person.

In terms of her death, I can't see a death record in the Sheffield area up to 1920 that matches the right age. So could she have been sent away / or simply gone away and her children were told that she had died?

[Kate P]

An Elizabeth Barnes of about the right age was admitted to Middlewood Hospital, Sheffield and discharged / died (its not clear which) 11 Dec 1914.

Similarly a lady of that name born 17 Nov 1870 was admitted to the Ecclesall Bierlow Workhouse in 1906.

The records for these are held by Sheffield Archives and the contact is [email protected]

There is also a story appeared in the Sheffield Daily Telegraph 4 June 1908 as follows:
Elizabeth Barnes, of Bonsall, was charged, in custody at Matlock yesterday, with neglecting her family of five young children, and with cruelty. The prosecution was taken for the NSPCC. She was sent to gaol for one month with hard labour.

Bonsall is in Derbyshire near Matlock, so it may well not be the same person.

In terms of her death, I can't see a death record in the Sheffield area up to 1920 that matches the right age. So could she have been sent away / or simply gone away and her children were told that she had died?

Thank you so much for your help

The Barnes family I'm researching, as far as I can tell, had no connection to Derbyshire. In February 1908, they lived in Pontefract, Yorkshire, according to a record I found of Henry Barnes' admission to the South Yorkshire Asylum on 14 February 1908. They were still living in Pontefract as of the 1911 census. So, I am not overly convinced that the Elizabeth Barnes of Bonsall is the Elizabeth that I'm looking for.

I believe that the Elizabeth Barnes admitted to Ecclesall Bierlow Workhouse in 1906 is the same person who was admitted to the South Yorkshire Asylum on 25 April 1906. On the index of admissions to the asylum, it states her abode was Ecclesall Workhouse - https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/sites/d...F--1-35MB-.pdf

I gather someone could be sent to the workhouse if they fell ill and their family couldn't take care of them? It's written that my Elizabeth's son Tom stated his father Henry was so busy with the farm stock that he had no time to care for his family. So, when Elizabeth supposedly died in the 1900s, all the children went into domestic service. Tom was the only member of the Barnes family who living members of my family had regular contact with, and he would've still been an infant/toddler in 1906, so it's not unreasonable to assume that he presumed his mother died when she was actually sent to the workhouse.

I suppose I'd better order Elizabeth's birth certificate to find her exact birth date, right? If it is 17 Nov 1870 (which is consistent with her birth registration in Q4 1870), I think we can reasonably assume that she was the Elizabeth Barnes admitted to the workhouse and soon after the asylum.

[Kate P]

Just found this index of inmates at Ecclesall Workhouse - https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/sites/d...20-%20C%29.pdf

Looks like the whole Barnes family of the parents & their 4 children were admitted to the workhouse on 23 March 1906. All the names, dates, and occupations match. How do I go about getting more info on this, if there is any available?

[Pam Downes]

(snipped)

I suppose I'd better order Elizabeth's birth certificate to find her exact birth date, right? If it is 17 Nov 1870 (which is consistent with her birth registration in Q4 1870), I think we can reasonably assume that she was the Elizabeth Barnes admitted to the workhouse and soon after the asylum.

Birth dates were not given on death certificates until June quarter 1969.
Ages at death were subject to how well the informant knew the deceased, and even then the details could be wrong. A neighbour recalls an aunt who knocked seven years off her age when she married her younger husband. I can't remember if we found her death registration to see if she was still seven years younger than she actually was.

Just found this index of inmates at Ecclesall Workhouse - https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/sites/d...20-%20C%29.pdf

Looks like the whole Barnes family of the parents & their 4 children were admitted to the workhouse on 23 March 1906. All the names, dates, and occupations match. How do I go about getting more info on this, if there is any available?

See the instructions given at the top of every page of the index.
It could be that you will only have to send one amount if everyone is on the same page. Enquire first.

[Kate P]

Birth dates were not given on death certificates until June quarter 1969.
Ages at death were subject to how well the informant knew the deceased, and even then the details could be wrong. A neighbour recalls an aunt who knocked seven years off her age when she married her younger husband. I can't remember if we found her death registration to see if she was still seven years younger than she actually was.

Thank you Pam, but it's the death certificate that I can't find. I was talking about the birth certificate. I'm no longer sure I need to order it now, as it's definitely the same family I'm researching who were admitted to the workhouse in 1906, and the birth dates I already know are consistent with the birth dates on the register of workhouse admissions.

[Pam Downes]

Thank you Pam, but it's the death certificate that I can't find. I was talking about the birth certificate. I'm no longer sure I need to order it now, as it's definitely the same family I'm researching who were admitted to the workhouse in 1906, and the birth dates I already know are consistent with the birth dates on the register of workhouse admissions.

Apologies. Yes, you did say 'birth certificate'. (My excuse is that my appointment at Specsavers is about five years overdue. )