Mistakes in Death Records?

[Littlemo]

Hi Everyone,
Have any of you found mistakes on the BMD Sites?
I"m going round the twist trying to find out when my Paternal Gran Died.I"ve found the record of her 2 marriage, but although I can find a name & where she died her age dosn"t tally.
She was born in March 1898 & she died in Leigh Lancs. named Sarah Platt some time in the 1930"s
If some kind soul would have a look & let me knop I would be very grateful as I"m going cross eyed trying to find it!
Happy Hunting Everyone
Regards, Littlemo

 

[benny1982]

Hi Littlemo

Have you definately found a possible death for her? If so, what year does it point to as a year of birth?

Mistakes can happen all the time especially with ages of death certs as the informant may not have known the true age and as the deceased was not around to give it, then human error can come in.

Ben

 

[juliejtp]

Did Sarah have a middlename?

 

[juliejtp]

Littlemo,

Looking through 1930-1940 threw up 2 Sarah Platts death registered
Leigh. The ages dont tally, but the information is only as good as to what the informant knows.

Year 1937
Sarah Platt age 47

Year 1934
Sarah A Platt age 44

 

[benny1982]

Hi

Was she born as Sarah Platt or is Platt her married name?

Ben

 

[Littlemo]

Hi Everyone,
Thanks so much for the replies.
Sarah was Born Sarah Alice Burrows on March 12th 1898 I have her Birth Certificate.She married Joseph Donnelly in 1915 had 2 Sons & then she married Frank Platt in 1919 after Joe died in 1917. She had 3 Sons with Frank & knowing that the youngest Victor was born in 1928 & the fact that she had died before my parents married in 1941 I looked it up and found the 2 Sarahs that Julie found but the ages don"t tally.
I really appreciate the help, thanks again,
Moxx

 

[p.risboy]

Littlemo,

Looking through 1930-1940 threw up 2 Sarah Platts death registered
Leigh. The ages dont tally, but the information is only as good as to what the informant knows.

Year 1937
Sarah Platt age 47

Year 1934
Sarah A Platt age 44

Hmmm, strange. Both entries take them back to 1890.

Steve.

 

[benny1982]

Hi

Yes I thought that. Sarah was born in March 1898.

Ben

 

[duckweed]

Ages can be quite a way out on death certificates. Sometimes wives can make themselves younger so it doesn't look obvious she is older than husband. The person registering the death may not know the person well especially if it is sudden death and there were no relatives handy. Person may have lied about age to stay in employment. I have several families who on the census have a different year of birth each census. Not everybody knew their year of birth.

 

[benny1982]

Hi

I have known women in their 80s in the 1950s and 1960s say they are younger or not disclose their birth details so to stay in employment. One had an accident and when taken to hospital, they found that she was 85 so they pensioned her off.

In the 19th century proof of age was hardley ever required and ages werent that important. If you couldnt read or write then you could easily not have known your true age.

Ben