Recent postings on the Kent list about hospital ships being used during Cholera epidemics either to supplement or replace use of workhouses during epidemics trigger several questions. I have 2 child deaths in Minster workhouse in the 1854 cholera epidemic recorded in Minster and also notified to St Laurence parish and recorded in the registers there. But I suspect others were not recorded in this way. Were there any rules or conventions about regiistration in this situation or was it likely to be chaos with healthy poor being sent out; workhouse officials, nurses, cooks disappearing or dying etc, ? What records might be kept by 'Fever Hospitals'? And where were they? What happened before the centralised Union workhouses were established? When were there earlier epidemics in Thanet? Was a hospital ship used in Thanet and did this change procedures? Many Thanks Dick Fowler

Hi List I have a great-great grandfather Thomas Briggs (a blacksmith) who died 9th August 1854 in Blue Town (Sheerness). His death certificate says cause of death 'purpura/haemorrhage'....after doing a lot of reading on 'purpura' and it's different causes - I think I will put his haemorrhaging down to Cholera????? He was only 24yrs old and had been married only 3 months - to the day (8th May 1854). He was buried 12th August but don't know where. KInd regards Ann Spiro Perth, Western Australia research@sbse.net.au http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~blacksmiths/ I have the surname BASKETT registered with GOONS http://www.one-name.org/ Rootsweb surname list for NUTTY. --------------------------------------- Recent postings on the Kent list about hospital ships being used during Cholera epidemics either to supplement or replace use of workhouses during epidemics trigger several questions. Many Thanks Dick Fowler