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I have received the death certificate I sent for of a James Finlen who died in 3rd January 1890 aged 29. I thought he may have been a brother of a William (my g_grandfather) but I am none the wiser, unfortunately.

I was so disappointed when the certificate didn’t even give a birth place let alone a father’s name.

An inquest was held on 8 January 1890 and although I am not sure where to look, there may be records concerning this and maybe it was reported in a newspaper as it was an accident. The record states he died in St Bartholomew Hospital and his address looks like 162 Swaines?? Road, Islington.

Some of my family Finlen births were in Islington, which led me to believe that this James was the missing brother of William.

What should I do???? If recoreds still exist from the hospital where can I find them - is anyone able to help me by physially going to a record office in UK, or St Bartholemew Hospital (if it still exists)?

I am in Australia, so a little bit of geographic distance prevents me from going there myself.

As it was an accident I wonder if it was reported in a newspaper? Can anyone help me there?

ANY assistance would be gratefully recieved. He is an enigma ...
Regards
Beverley

English death certs dont give the place of birth or the fathers name.
A child's death cert will say son or daughter of and the father but not an adults one.
I have never been able to find Hospital records . Lots of them dont exist any more or if they do you get the run around saying they may be archived but not available.

If you know more about William such as parents/birth/wife/death etc....we might be able to help

Let us know......

Ginny
x

maybe a check on the 1891 census for the address may find who is still living there.

Census details re any of the Finlens very sketchy. Variations in spelling.

I do know there are about 100 newspaper articles about James' and William's father - also James Finlen. He was involved in Chartist movement and Fenian cause in mid 1850's. I have a vast amount of newspaper articles on James Snr.

William Finlen b 10 June 1860 in West Hackney Middlesex England.
James Finlen b March 1859 in Manchester, Lancashire, England.

Parents: James Finlen b 1830 poss London and
Mary Caroline Magee b 1836 in Newcastle, England, United Kingdom.
James and Mary Caroline married 1858 in St John, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, United Kingdom.

Ginny, if you or anyone can help it would be WONDERFUL!!!!!
Beverley
:))))))

William first married Fanny Martin in 1883 in Brentford, Middlesex England but she died after giving birth to their first child Rose Ada in 1884.

William then married my G-Grandmother Jesse (ie) Eddy and they migrated to Australia and landed in Perth, WA

For James Finlen Snr and Mary Caroline - I do have Census data with sons James, William and Mary Caroline - however family name is transcibed and Finlon/Tomlin etc

Beverley

1861 England Census
about James Tomlin
Name: James Tomlin
[James Finlen]
Age: 2
Estimated birth year: abt 1859
Relation: Son
Father's Name: James <<<French polisher
Mother's Name: Mary A
Gender: Male
Where born: Manchester, Lancashire, England

Civil parish: Hackney
Ecclesiastical parish: West Hackney
County/Island: Middlesex
Country: England

Street Address

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage: View image

Registration district: Hackney
Sub-registration district: West Hackney
ED, institution, or vessel: 8
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 10
Household Members: Name Age
James Tomlin 31 <<b London
Mary A Tomlin 25 <<b northumberland
Kate Tomlin 28 <<Sister
James Tomlin 2
William Tomlin 9 Mo <<<London

Not sure if thats you that has entered a correction to the name?
x

Yes, Ginny

That's me who entered the correction.

For anyone else - I am wondering if anyone comes up with a miraculous idea and is able to do some miraculous legwork either at newspapers or hosp records.......

Many thanks
Beverley

Now you're gonna think Im nuts and maybe I am!

1871 England Census
about James James
Name: James James
Age: 13
Estimated birth year: abt 1858
Relation: Son
Father's Name: James <French polisher
Gender: Male
Where born: Manchester
Civil parish: Islington St Clement
Ecclesiastical parish: St Clement
County/Island: London
Country: England
Registration district: Islington
Sub-registration district: Islington West
ED, institution, or vessel: 54
Household schedule number: 241 <<<3 York Place
Household Members: Name Age
James James 40 <<London
James James 13
William James 12 <<London
Frank James 9 <<London


I wonder if either they changed their name or the ennumerator was having a bad day?


Theres a few different families at this address.....could the ennumerator have been given the wrong name by someone else in the house?

Did the article 1868 re James Finlen in the Times newspaper refer to your family. James mentions his wife is in an asylum and it appears he did not care for his children very well - he was a french polisher by trade. Irene

Thats intersting Irene because the James James above is down as married on the 71 census but there is no wife to be seen

Hmmmm

OK Ginny

WOW - could be

James Jr's siblings were William, Francis b 1862 and Mary Caroline b 1863. I found Mary Caroline later in Census with a Hoppey family who were also listed in another Census with Finlens and also French Polishers.

Irene
Yes James Snr was a French polisher and it seems his wife my G-G-Grandmother ended up in Colney-Hatch Lunatic Asylum.

James Sr basically abandoned his family in favour of the Chartist Movement and Fenians

Beverley

n

The London Metropolitan Archives holds hospital records of St Barts.

I have access to newspapers online....i shall have a look and see what comes up.

There is nothing in the London Gazette, The times or the general 19th Century newspapers i have access to!

This is what i have found on TNA....

St Bartholomew's Hospital Archives and Museum
Record type Date range

Administrative 1137 - 1998
General 1549 - 1974
Finance 1547 - 1963
Estates 1137 - 1976
Nursing 1877 - 1962
Admission & Discharge 1818 - 1971
Staff 1645 - 1974
Ephemera 1800 - 1974
Pictorial1800 - 1998
Private Papers 1800 - 1990
Clinical & Patients 1826 - 1985

I would imagine if you contacted the hospital they would be able to assist you more. As the accident wasn't newsworthy the inquest wasn't probably either. As time passes things like inquest results became less important as towns got bigger. Had it not been London i think there may have been a chance you'd find it published in a local paper, but with London being so big it's less likely.

I hope this helps you a little bit more.

The only other thing you could do is contact the coroner's office who might be able to tell you where the inquest paperwork would have been discharged to, however be aware the paperwork may not have survived.

I know my partner's Grandfather had an inquest on his death in 1947 and the inquest paperwork was destroyed after a few years. They are very rarely kept, only in major news incidents, whereby they are kept because of their historical importance.

Tracey x

Thank you Kay and Tracey for your info and Tracey if you find anything in the papers that would be great, but as you say, as it was an accident maybe not newsworthy ...

Beverley :)

Hi Beverley
colney hatch do have records of their inmates, it might be worth an e-mail to them as they sometimes have photo's too, also not all inmates had mental health issues, sometimes it was just a convenient place to put people
marcie

Thanks for that lead Marcie

Certainly James' antics would have been enough to stress any mother trying to care for 4 children - especially with not a lot to live on

Beverley

Hi Beverley,
Re Coroner's reports / inquests, when I was trying to find my OH's grandfather's details the London Metropolitan Archives said few papers survived as they were quite fragile.
If you would like to pm me, I am going to the National Archives next month and may get time to look for you.
regards
Sue