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Love it.

I saw this when it was on tv. It's one of those clips you don't forget and I always smile to myself when viewing a census page

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Mel

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As funny as that sketch is - the perils hit me today.
I decided to go to the local library to do a little research. It was a last minute decision so I just took whatever there was (computer/fiche/film). They gave me a computer for a while followed by a film reader.
I decided to view the local cemetery burials which are held on the computer. I knew the quarter and year of death for the sister of my gt grandmother so it was quite easy to find. The entry gave her date of death (and everything else you would expect to see on a burial) and underneath the entry was for a child of the same surname, died the same date. I thought 'how sad'. Must have been an illness in the family. However, to the side of the entry it said 'drowned in canal'. This I assumed would be an accident as it occurred in summertime when people might have gone for a swim in the local canal. I made a note to have a look in the newspaper archive when I moved onto the film reader.

Next I looked up the sister of another gt grandmother. I knew her exact date of death and found it very quickly. Above her name was that of her husbands. Then I spotted that of their child below her name. What could possibly wipe out a family in one day? So another note made for the newspapers.

So next, I looked at the newspapers of the time. The first note I had maded turned out to be a very detailed account of a suicide, in fact it reduced me to tears and I don't consider myself to be an emotional type. My gt grans sister had jumped into the canal clutching her youngest child, leaving behind 4 more and her husband. She left a note for him which was printed in the report though I could not read it all as it was too upsetting and people were beginning to look at the blubbering wreck in the corner.

The 2nd note I had made was another detailed account. This time of murder and suicide. It seemed the husband had killed his wife and daughter and then turned a gun on himself. I could not read the article there and then as I was still upset from the first article.

I ordered printouts of both so that I could read them in the privacy of my own home.

Some of you may be aware that I already have a murder victim and a murderer in my extended family (father and son but two separate events). This lady who jumped into the canal was the sister of my murder victim and aunt to the murderer. How can one family have so much tragedy?

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Mel

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Big hug Mel ((((((x))))))

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Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

Thanks Gloria. It's been quite a day!

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Mel

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It's finding information like that, that suddenly make those names we have on paper become so real and personal to us. Sorry that you had such an upsetting day. Cyber hug.

It was quite a stark contrast to the day before. I was really excited by the asylum records. As you say, it turns the names on the file into real people.
I think it was the fact that I stumbled on to both tragedies accidentally as opposed to being aware of them and going to find the info.
Thanks both.

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Mel

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I have received the printouts now. It seems the baby was dead some hours before her mum jumped into the canal. Reading the report, the coroner gives the impression that he believes she did it because the baby had died. She also liked a little too much drink and had fell out with her hubby that morning.
The coroner laid some blame at the feet of those around her for not supporting her better and talking to her or realising the state that she was in.

As for the double murder. He appears to have had some sort of stroke and was 'not himself' for a month or more prior to 'carrying out the frenzied actions of a madmen.'

What really strikes me, and it has also with some of the articles I have added to this site in the past, is the amount of detail that news articles carried in the 19th and 20th centuries. It's almost as if the reporter had been allowed into the crime scene to make his notes.

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Mel

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