Hello Listers I've been checking some family files and something has just 'hit' me. Edward FIELD my 4xgreat-uncle died on 9th January 1786 and his little daughter Elizabeth, aged 4years 6 months, died the next day, 10th January 1786. Both were buried in the cemetery now known, I understand, as St Mary's Whyke Road and then as St Mary's Rumboldswyke. A second child, Edward, was buried a few weeks later, on 21st February 1786. I'd never looked at them both together like I did when re-checking some burial/MI information sent ages ago by a kind Lister called Katherine. If you see this, Katherine, I'd love to make contact again. I can't remember your surname! You said you had MIs for the whole of Chichester. It looks at first glance to be a tragic accident, but Edward left a Will dated 2nd Dec 1785, which seems to indicate that both he and Elizabeth had contracted some dire illness. In his Will he mentions, as is usual "... all such children as I may have living ..." but there was a phrase that was new to me - "... if but one such child then to such only child ...". At the time of making his Will, Edward and his wife Lucy (née PARVIN) had four children, aged 12, 8, 4 and 2. This phrase seems to indicate that he anticipated not only his own death but that of several of his children. As I mentioned above, 2 of them did succumb; were the others ill as well? It seem that the illness was something which only death would relieve, and apparently very infectious. Yet Edward was quite lucid and 'of sound memory' early in December when he made quite a length Will. In his Will he mentions 'my friend Joseph ROBINS ...'. Joseph was married to Edward's sister Mary, J&M being my 3 x ggps. Does anyone know if there was a particular illness prevalent in Chichester in the lates 1780s please? I have no other known Chichester rellies who died in 1786. Joseph ROBINS also died young, but not till 1793 (aged 39). Any others interested in these FIELDs or ROBINSes would be most welcome correspondents. Many thanks Pam Beaudesert, Queensland, Australia

Hi Pam   As you say, illness and early death were everyday events at that time, so I should not place too much significance on the wording of the will; it is pretty standard for a will of that date.   Kathleen --- On Mon, 8/4/08, PMR <cliveden@acenet.net.au> wrote: From: PMR <cliveden@acenet.net.au> Subject: [SFHG] FIELD - a family tragedy in Chichester To: "SSX-PLUS Mailing List" <SUSSEX-PLUS-L@rootsweb.com>, "SFHG Mailing List" <sfhg@rootsweb.com> Date: Monday, August 4, 2008, 4:49 AM Hello Listers I've been checking some family files and something has just 'hit' me. Edward FIELD my 4xgreat-uncle died on 9th January 1786 and his little daughter Elizabeth, aged 4years 6 months, died the next day, 10th January 1786. Both were buried in the cemetery now known, I understand, as St Mary's Whyke Road and then as St Mary's Rumboldswyke. A second child, Edward, was buried a few weeks later, on 21st February 1786. I'd never looked at them both together like I did when re-checking some burial/MI information sent ages ago by a kind Lister called Katherine. If you see this, Katherine, I'd love to make contact again. I can't remember your surname! You said you had MIs for the whole of Chichester. It looks at first glance to be a tragic accident, but Edward left a Will dated 2nd Dec 1785, which seems to indicate that both he and Elizabeth had contracted some dire illness. In his Will he mentions, as is usual "... all such children as I may have living ..." but there was a phrase that was new to me - "... if but one such child then to such only child ...". At the time of making his Will, Edward and his wife Lucy (née PARVIN) had four children, aged 12, 8, 4 and 2. This phrase seems to indicate that he anticipated not only his own death but that of several of his children. As I mentioned above, 2 of them did succumb; were the others ill as well? It seem that the illness was something which only death would relieve, and apparently very infectious. Yet Edward was quite lucid and 'of sound memory' early in December when he made quite a length Will. In his Will he mentions 'my friend Joseph ROBINS ...'. Joseph was married to Edward's sister Mary, J&M being my 3 x ggps. Does anyone know if there was a particular illness prevalent in Chichester in the lates 1780s please? I have no other known Chichester rellies who died in 1786. Joseph ROBINS also died young, but not till 1793 (aged 39). Any others interested in these FIELDs or ROBINSes would be most welcome correspondents. Many thanks Pam Beaudesert, Queensland, Australia ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to SFHG-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message