Death of William French

[webwiz]

My friend D is looking for the death of her maternal grandfather William French. He is on the 1901 census at
Piece: 2836 Folio: 114 Page: 37 and his wife is listed as a widow in 1911 at RG14PN18128 RG78PN1098 RD384 SD4 ED25 SN226. D's mother told D that her father died a few years after she was born in 1904. This all ties up but I cannot find a death registration or a PR burial in this period.

The 'death' could possibly be a cover story if William went to prison or absconded but D never heard any suggestion of anything untoward. She thinks it most unlikely that died abroad.

Can anyone find him?

[JudithM]

Q1 1910 Birmingham vol 6d page 96 William FRENCH aged 54

[Chrissie Smiff]

Or if that one turns out to be wrong another possible? William French aged 51 June 1909 Birmingham ref 6d 110

[webwiz]

Either of these could be right if D has the wrong date of birth or if the age at death was mis-reported, but looking at the births in Warwickshire there are other men whose birth dates fit these two.

but thanks for looking.

[webwiz]

Either of these could be right if D has the wrong date of birth or if the age at death was mis-reported, but looking at the births in Warwickshire there are other men whose birth dates fit these two. Also D's mum had no recollection of her father and I would have thought that if she was 5 or 6 when he died she would have remembered it.

but thanks for looking.

[JudithM]

Ah, I didn't realise that his year of birth was different from that implied by his age in 1901 (45 which would fit the 1910 death aged 54) or that D's mum claimed not to remember her father.

[Tora]

My father died 3 days before my 5th birthday and I only have 3 memories of him. We lived in country Australia, going with him to shoot our cat as it was very ill, shooting a snake and jumping off a fairly low verandah roof into his arms. So they were all pretty dramatic which maybe why I remember them.

Tora

[webwiz]

I would imagine that your father's death would have been a traumatic event for the whole family that you would remember?

[Olde Crone Holden]

webwiz

Not necessarily, you would be surprised at what memories can become blurred or even completely forgotten.

I well remember a longrunning search on another forum on behalf of a man who had no birth cert and no memory of his early years before he was put into a children's home. When helpers eventually found his birth cert and pieced together the reason for him being put into a children's home, he suddenly had a vivid memory of waving goodbye to his mother as she was taken off in an ambulance. He had forgotten about that for over 60 years.

OC

[Tora]

webwiz

I was just putting on the actual memories I had of him personally. I do remember the moment we were told, I was at the beach with my mother and sister when 2 men in suits walked up to us, they were detectives and he had died in an accident. I remember getting dressed in the old dressing shed but I don't remember being sent to my grandmothers for 6 months as my mother stayed with an aunt as she was expecting another baby. Most of my memories start at being at my grandmothers. Whether it was shock that deleted the earlier ones, I don't know.

Tora

[webwiz]

Tora

How sad. I do hope my innocent enquiry has not stirred up unpleasant memories or caused you any distress.

xxx

[Tora]

Webwix,

No it's fine, many years ago and it's nice to remember my dad. The child in me thanks you for the kisses.

Tora