Peter Collins wrote: > I am, in conjunction with a cousin, researching our family tree. > She has come across a mystery on her mothers side and has asked me > to take a look at it for fresh ideas. My cousin has already > attempted to find information from the records office, who referred > her to the Coroner who immediately referred her back to the > records office, frustating, I should say! Coroner's records were theirs to destroy after 15 years and I believe this is still the case. The exception being cases of note which are closed for 75 years. Since the 1920s more Somerset coroner's records have been preserved and they would be in the Heritage Centre now - if they still exist. Given Misterton's proximity to Dorset, it might be worth checking the Dorset Heritage Centre in Dorchester (formerly Dorset Record Office). I don't know the papers for Dorset so have a look at The British Library site (www.bl.uk/) then follow the link to the Newspaper catalogue. That will tell you what papers were around then, if they are still around, who they've been taken over by, etc. > Because of the nature of the deaths we are well aware that an > inquest would have taken place and a cause of death has been > recorded as on the death certificate as: "Influenza Pneumonial > contributary Aortic Cyanosis excellerated by Carbon Monoxide > Poisoning from inhalation of coal gas". The location for the death > is recorded as Crewkerne, Somerset. Misterton addresses are often given as Misterton, Crewkerne. It sounds as though the couple's chimney was blocked or partially blocked allowing carbon monoxide to build up in their home. > However, that is only the official version. A neice of the dead > couple is adamant that the couple died in Misterton in a house fire > in 1951 and suggests that there maybe more to this story than the > Official bodies are saying. Maybe, maybe not. Obviously you need to check this out but I think it could be a case of having been told (or overhearing) it was caused by the fire (ie the normal household fire) and assuming it was a fire (ie the whole house went up). The niece can't have been very old at the time. The death certificate would have added the word "Fire" if it was a house fire and that was the reason for the cause of death. There would be no percentage in the deaths of an older couple being "covered up". > The information I have to date to which I can share is as follows: > > Walter BURT (63yrs) and hs wife Violet (61yrs) were both found dead > in ther home (Crewkerne or Misterton?) having passed away sometime > between 31 Jan 1951 and 1 Feb 1951. The reference for the two deaths is Walter, age 63, Chard 7c 195 and Violet E, age 61, Chard 7c 194. Both March qtr of 1951. The death cert for one or other will give you the actual address where they lived as well as the place of death which could have been Chard or Crewkerne Hospital, both of which are now cottage hospitals. Chard does have an A+E dept which Crewkerne does not and I'm not sure if it ever did. Bear in mind that deaths are registered where the death took place and not necessarily where the deceased lived. > Could anyone tell us where we need to be looking for any > information regarding this matter, ie, which newspapers would cover > these areas, Pulman's Weekly covered that area. You could try the Western Gazette and the Chard & Ilminster News as well. If it was a fire, then there would very likely be a report. If it was what would be deemed "natural causes", then there might be a paragraph. > Which churches should we be looking at to find possible records of > burial All the parish registers are at the Heritage Centre in Taunton. The churches could have been St Bartholomew's in Crewkerne for whom there is an OPC. Alternatively it might have been St Leonard's in Misterton There's a cemetery/graveyard there near the crossroads in Misterton but 1951 they would most likely have been buried in Townsend Cemetery in Crewkerne. The cemetery supervisor lives in the lodge there and has the burial records for the cemetery which are not the same at those for either of the churches. It includes non conformist burials as well as those who chose not to have a service at all. > and lastly where would we have to look to find a copy of the > Coroners reports, other that the two places that seem to like > sending one on a wild goose chase! If the reports exist, and it sounds as though they don't, they'd most likely be in the Heritage Centre. The papers remain your best bet. The Local Studies library is also in the Heritage Centre. I know they have the Bridgwater papers but I'm not sure what others they have. -- Charani (UK) OPC for Walton, Greinton and Clutton, SOM Asst OPC for Ashcott and Shapwick, SOM http://wsom-opc.org.uk http://www.savethegurkhas.co.uk/