Hi Julie I doubt it would have been actually stated as "Death by hanging" on the death certificate. I would imagine the cause of death would show as perhaps "death by asphyxiation" or death by the medical equivalent for a broken neck or some such medical description of the injury sustained from the actual hanging. Funny enough you don't actually die by hanging. Death comes as a consequence of the injuries caused by the way in which the hanging affects the human body - primarily a broken neck and severed spinal cord - well hopefully that is. If the rope is not properly positioned the neck doesn't break and then death is by asphyxiation and that is not a nice way to go! Only the Court and Prison Records would record the event itself ie the actual hanging. Lovely subjects we Genies get involved in! Regards Ron Phillips Melbourne Victoria ----- Original Message ----- From: "Julie M Hopper" <juliemhopper@hotkey.net.au> To: <aus-vic-western-district@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, January 01, 2007 3:27 PM Subject: Re: [AUS-VIC-WESTERN-DISTRICT] Fw: Gaol > Thanks Ron, > I just wondered if a prisoner who had been sentenced to death by hanging > would have had that fact only recorded somewhere other than in the BDM > register - perhaps in a separate police file. If not, as you suggest, then > (in the case I was interested in) a recording of 'East Melbourne Gaol' as > the place of the person's death could have meant death by hanging, or > death > by natural causes. > Julie. > > -----Original Message----- > From: aus-vic-western-district-bounces@rootsweb.com > [mailto:aus-vic-western-district-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Ron > Philllips > Sent: Monday, 1 January 2007 3:05 PM > To: aus-vic-western-district@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [AUS-VIC-WESTERN-DISTRICT] Fw: Gaol > > Hi Julie > No I would not assume that at all. All deaths are recorded notwithstanding > the cause of death. > > Regards > Ron Phillips > Melbourne Victoria > SNIP > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > AUS-VIC-WESTERN-DISTRICT-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' > without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message