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can a death be registered twice?

ProfilePosted byOptionsPost Date

Nicola

Nicola Report 22 Sep 2007 23:15

This is an odd one.

Mary graney and mary tonks

both deaths registered june1899 age 2 in bolton lancs.

What I know for sure... Sarah Tonks lived with John Graney when they marry in July 1899.

Other stuff... the family story is that Sarah's older child elizabeth was a twin- (I can find no evidence of this) and that the twin died approx age 4-6 in an accident with the fire.
If part of teh story is true- this could be the fire as Elizabeth would be 4-5 yrs old.

Could this be where the twins come in? But why would they have different surnames and both be called Mary? If its one person why is the death registered twice?

How on earth do I get the death cert?

ErikaH

ErikaH Report 22 Sep 2007 23:19

This is all the info you need to order the cert online from the GRO

Name: Mary Graney
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1897
Year of Registration: 1899
Quarter of Registration: Apr-May-Jun
Age at Death: 2
District: Bolton
County: Greater Manchester, Lancashire
Volume: 8c
Page: 268


On the same page...........

Name: Mary Tonks
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1897
Year of Registration: 1899
Quarter of Registration: Apr-May-Jun
Age at Death: 2
District: Bolton
County: Greater Manchester, Lancashire
Volume: 8c
Page: 268


It's possible that both names were registered for the death because the child was illegitimate.........but the father admitted to his paternity.........

Have you cross-checked with the births? It may be sheer coincidence.............

I've checked for you........there appears to be only one birth reg'n...........in the mother's name

Name: Mary Tonks
Year of Registration: 1896
Quarter of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep
District: Bolton
County: Greater Manchester, Lancashire
Volume: 8c
Page: 455


Reg


Nicola

Nicola Report 22 Sep 2007 23:48

Thanks reg
I found the same...
You are right the child was illegitimate and I know that they married although not until after the death (2 years after the child was born). he raised Elizabeth the older child as his own so I am sure he would have admitted paternity when the child was his!

It looks like this is not the solution to the missing twin saga but when the death cert arrives it may tell me if this is the story about the fire??

ForeverMystified

ForeverMystified Report 23 Sep 2007 18:14

My Grt Grandmothers death was registered twice, under her first husbands name and under the name of the man she had lived with for more than 20years as his spouse. This being in 1949.
Regards
Frances

Judith

Judith Report 23 Sep 2007 20:13

You may well find that both these entries on the index lead to the same death certificate. It would not mean that the death was registered twice but that when it was registered both surnames were given - something like "Mary Tonks, also known as Graney"

Nicola

Nicola Report 23 Sep 2007 20:19

Thanks Judith. I was wondering if that would be the case. I guess I'll have to wait until sat when the certs will arrive.

Still looking for the missing twin part of the story- I am assuming that there is at least some truth in it??