Where did the list of 1849 Cholera deaths in Eyemouth, Scotland come from?

Question

Peter Aitchison, in Cahpter 7 of his 2001 book "Children of the Sea: The Story of the Eyemouth Disaster", has a list of those who died at Eyemouth in the October 30 to December 13, 1849 Cholera epidemic. None of these appear on the ScotlandsPeople on-line index or FamilySearch. Where did he get the names from?

Answer 1

Hello all - the cholera deaths were listed in the Berwickshire News on November 24, December 1 and December 15 1849, after which the outbreak seems to have ended.  All the individuals are named, and often there is occupation listed also. There is in addition an illuminating letter from R V Innes, Inspector of the Poor in Eyemouth to the Board of Health in London which is printed on 1 December 1849, and is reprinted in the BN on 29 September 1909.

I have often regretted that my publisher insisted on no footnotes (the original Ms had hundreds), allowing only a bibliography. It would be tricky to include in that all references to individual episodes in Haimooth history. The Berwickshire News archives are (or in the 1980s used to be) in the offices of the Tweedale Press in Berwick. They may even be digitised now. Hope this is helpful to the group, and hello to all my fellow Haimoothers and descendants of auld Haimooth.

Comments

Hi Peter, some of the Scotland Project people have been helping me try to find the lists you mention. It seems the Berwickshire News wasn’t published before 1869.

Is it perhaps in a different paper?

Cheers Bruce

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Hi Bruce

Apologies … it is the Berwick Advertiser, which was published from early years of 19th century. The BN was added to the group. Both titles were housed (latterly) in the offices of the Tweedale Press in Berwick upon Tweed.

Answer 2

Not all deaths were recorded by the churches in 1849. There are about 50 deaths recorded in all of Berwickshire from Oct 30 to Dec 13. Is it possible some deaths were recorded in their home parishes?

Answer 3

There used to be (about 10-15 years ago) a large section of the Eyemouth Museum devoted to the disaster so he might have found it there or in the local archives

Answer 4

Does he not give references in the book? The review I read suggests that he is a well respected local historian so should cite his sources.

Re the disaster. The local Museum has a tapestry recording the names They can perhaps cite the source. https://eyemouthmuseum.co.uk/the-museum/the-eyemouth-tapestry/

They might be able to offer advice on the Cholera victims also..

Re Cholera. You could see if there are any burial records for the Old Cemetery The level of this cemetery was raised by 6ft to accomodate choleral burials. https://www.buildingsatrisk.org.uk/details/916905

 The outbreak was reported in many Newspapers with  reports from a local correspondent. eg The Kelsoe Chronicle 7 Dec 1849 contains a report originally in the Berwick Advertiser. It states  that since the last report there had been 17 deaths and that so far 71 had died with over 260 cases of Cholera, fever and diarrhoea. Cases were being nursed  in a hospital set up in the old barracks. The medical staff and two  named members of the clergy are praised.

All this suggests the collection of data and a degree of municipal  organisation. This would create records .If the museum can't help try the regional archives. 

Comments

The book has an extensive Bibliography, mostly related to the fishing disaster (naturally, as this is predominantly what the book is about). However, there was nothing that I could see specifically about the cholera deaths, and no reference in the actual chapter.