Unknown Death at Joppa Rocks

Post by **Pandabean** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 3:42 pm

I mentioned this in another post on here but I thought I would start another thread rather than hijack one.

I have a death certificate for Ann Bruce Ramsay, married to Andrew Fernie (Fairnie, Fairney). She died on August 1st 1866 aged 48 years. She was found at Joppa Rocks in the Parish of Duddingston. The cause of death is unknown and no medical attendant was present. Also there is no RCE on the certificate, may have been to early.

The informant was her son Andrew Fernie. Her husband was alive but I have no idea why he didnt sign it. The death was registered the following day (2nd of Aug).

Why would they leave a certificate like this and why would Ann walk out to a place and die? It doesnt seems like she was too old. The other entries on the certificate have Medical Attendant.

Would there be anything in newspapers?

Andy

DavidWW · Post by **DavidWW** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 4:25 pm

1866 is early enough that there might well not have been the later automatic reference to the Procurator Fiscal.

It could well be the case that there is a newspaper mention, but no certainty of such.

David

Post by **AndrewP** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 4:40 pm

Hi Andy,

Joppa Rocks are on the coastline, they are not out at sea. As I recall, they are mostly covered at high tide.

There are a couple of posibilities to offer.

(1) Did she work in Joppa Salt Works, which were at the top of the rocks? That could be a reason for her being there. Unfortunately, a married woman's occupation is seldom given in the records.

(2) As for the son registering the death. The mother's usual residence is not given. Were the family normally resident in Fisherrow (a stone's throw east of Joppa)? The son gave Fisherrow as his address on that death certificate. As the father was a fisherman, Fisherrow is a fair likelihood, a busy little fishing port in its day. Fisherrow was just over the boundary into Inveresk parish. As the death was in Duddingston parish, the son probably had to walk there (this was before the era of the trams). I would hazard a fairly good guess that the registrar's office was probably in Duddingston village, which was right at the west end of that parish (in the shadow of Arthurs Seat). So there was probably a good four or five miles to walk to register the death - was that why the son got that task?

All the best,

AndrewP

Post by **Pandabean** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 7:57 pm

Andrew,

I have no idea where she worked. But the whole family were from Fisherrow, Inveresk and the Fairnie side were all mainly fishermen, with Ann's father being a Pilot (in the Harbour).

I like the idea of the 2nd explanation as to why the son went to register the death, but Andrew (father) would not have been that old, in his 40s. But I guess back then that was more the older generation and were perhaps less able?

I still do not get why no cause was given.

Would anyone be able to a do a look up in the newspapers for me if they get the time please?

Davie · Post by **Davie** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 5:15 am

Hi Andy,
Cannot help much on the reason for the death or a newspaper report.
I usually take a nose bleed if I venture oot o’ the Second City.
However, I was in Porty yesterday, and only a couple of hundred yards from the Dalriada boozers are the Joppa rocks.
I took a wee pic jist in case.
In Gallery under Joppa rocks.

http://talkingscot.com/gallery/displayi ... ?pos=-1159

I am not sure if you are aware of Alexander Carlisle, who was the meenister at Inveresk for years.

http://www.scotsindependent.org/feature ... vision.htm

His autobiography is a guid read, even if ye don’t cumfrae the area.
A decent copy usually sells for around the £12 mark.
Davie

Gallery URL added - AndrewP

Post by **Pandabean** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 9:25 am

Thanks Davie. Those sea defences look relatively modern so I am guessing it looked much different a 100 odd years ago. But it doesnt look like it was quite a way out from the main road. Would it have been possible for her to be walking along the path without the wall and somehow had a stroke or something and fell down off the road?

Nice link to womans football and TV Cake

But most of the Greenlees family come from Inveresk at least starting from th 1800s and the Fairnie family have been there for... well... ages.

Andy

Davie wrote:Hi Andy,
Cannot help much on the reason for the death or a newspaper report.
I usually take a nose bleed if I venture oot o’ the Second City.
However, I was in Porty yesterday, and only a couple of hundred yards from the Dalriada boozers are the Joppa rocks.
I took a wee pic jist in case.
In Gallery under Joppa rocks.

http://talkingscot.com/gallery/displayi ... ?pos=-1159

I am not sure if you are aware of Alexander Carlisle, who was the meenister at Inveresk for years.

http://www.scotsindependent.org/feature ... vision.htm

His autobiography is a guid read, even if ye don’t cumfrae the area.
A decent copy usually sells for around the £12 mark.
Davie

Gallery URL added - AndrewP