Public Health Information

[Norfolk Nan]

A village I’m studying had a lot of burials in August-October in the 1780s. How can I find out why? There’s no mention in the burial register, for example, and it’s long before death certs. It has to be disease-related as at least four in one family died over two or three weeks, adults and children. Any ideas.

[Mick Loney]

Where are we talking about? I had a similar thing in Warrington, and I think I recall it was a cholera or typhoid outbreak.
Our good friend google should help. Try searching for “1780, +Epidemic +placename!
My search turned up this book https://ia600607.us.archive.org/22/item ... 02unse.pdf
It can be downloaded for free, is 600+ pages long, but should give you an insight into the various epidemics suffered in UK

[Norfolk Nan]

Thank you, Mick. That's a fabulous source of information.

I'm talking about Buckinghamshire and agricultural villages. There seems no particular concern in the burial register so it must have been something not uncommon, but what? I read that the Icelandic volcano, Loki, erupted in the same year (1783) and caused respiritory problems across Europe but this was only recognised much, much later. So, I'm wondering how these deaths were explained.

Thank you.

[phsvm]

Have you tried the Victoria County History for Bucks?

There's also a large number of Parish histories and history groups for Bucks. Have you had a look at any of them?

Which village/villages are we talking about? I have ancestors in some of the Bucks villages so I can see if I have anything about deaths if they're in the same parishes.

[Norfolk Nan]

Hi, and thanks. I’ve had a good root around, VCH included, and can’t find anything unusual. Had another look at the burials and there was a knot of four deaths in one family over a space of a month (September) and couple more in the months either side, not really enough to call an emergency. I’m looking at Milton Keynes, btw.