Richard Rothwell Death Year

Richard Rothwell is the second child of Henry and Alice Rothwell. I found him first in the 1841 census record for the family and his age in the census would suggest a birth year of about 1834 [D01529]

I found a baptism record for him for a baptism date of 31 August 1834 in Blackburn, Lancashire [D09283]

Richard however, does not appear in any later census records with the family, so likely died prior to the 1851 census. A number of trees on Ancestry list a death date for Richard of 1842, so I thought that I'd look into that death record. But when I checked the GRO indexes, it indicated that the Richard Rothwell who died in 1842 died at age 50, so would not be the right one.

I went back to the indexes to look for other possibilities and found a Richard Rothwell who died in Blackburn, Lancashire in 1844, aged 11 years [D09282]. This seemed like a more likely fit, so I ordered the death certificate.

Sure enough, the record came back showing Richard Rothwell as son of Henry Rothwell, a carter, so it all fits. I'm happy to conclude that I have found the proper death date for Richard Rothwell.

Interesting though, the 1842 record for the other Richard Rothwell, might be a family connection as there is a possibility that Henry Rothwell's father was named Richard. But more on that later (X00372).

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Sources:
[D01529] 1841 census of England, Blackburn, Lancashire, folio 4, page 1, 24; digital images(accessed 9 Feb 2025); citing PRO HO 107/502/14.

[D09282] England and Wales, death certificate for Richard Rothwell, died 9 November 1844; citing 21/15/187, Q4 quarter 1844, Blackburn registration district, Blackburn sub-district; General Register Office, Southport.

[D09283] St. Mary The Virgin (Blackburn, Lancashire, England), England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975, "Richard Rothwell baptism," 18; digital images, ancestry.ca.