Obituary, 1908, MEOT

[PhotoFamily]

Is there any hope of finding an obituary, especially a detailed obituary, for John Coverly Mitchell, born 18 Feb 1833, died first qtr 1908, Mile End Old Town? If so, can someone do the look up, or let me know where I might look?

Thanks
Sarah

[Lindsay]

I know the Bancroft Library in Stepney used to hold all the local newspaper records for that area - you could try contacting them.

[kylejustin]

unless he was quite important i don't think he would have an obit. in america almost anyone seems to have been able to afford them, but the class system in england seems to mean only richer people could do it.

[PhotoFamily]

In the US, some newspapers charged - usually the ones in the big cities. Smaller newspapers (= small cities, or towns, or ...) didn't charge. It was part of the town news, and helped sell the papers.

Thanks!

[JudithM]

unless he was quite important i don't think he would have an obit. in america almost anyone seems to have been able to afford them, but the class system in england seems to mean only richer people could do it.

Depends what newspaper I think - local papers with a more limited circulation certainly published obituaries of ordinary folk. My gt grandmother (wife of an ag lab) merited a paragraph or two when she died in 1913 and most of the English local papers I've looked at from late victorian times and early 20th century appear to include obituaries along with other snippets of local news such as marriages, church fetes etc. Don't think they were paid for - but were included to encourage people to buy the paper.

[AntonyM]

"Ordinary" people certainly do sometimes get an obituary, more common in smaller local country towns and villages, but most often you may just get a single line or two announcing the death.

The thing I always look for in newspapers is an announcement of the funeral taking place .... these often include a full listing of the mourners present which can be incredibly useful for tracing families.

[PhotoFamily]

Thanks for the info. Does anyone have a database that would have a more specific DOD? The NBI?

[margaretmarch]

Thanks for the info. Does anyone have a database that would have a more specific DOD? The NBI?

You could have a look at deceased online they quite a number of east end cemeteries on their database - not free though.
Margaret

[PhotoFamily]

Thanks, Margaret