Smallpox - Looking Through Parish Records
In the past 2 weeks, I have been dealing with my Rudland family from Norfolk. During this time I was looking through the parish records of Great Cressingham when I noticed a rather interesting addition to the page...
It turns out that in 1781, 'the small pox appeared in the parish' an inoculation took place to try and immunise people of the disease. This worked by rubbing or inserting powdered smallpox scabs into the patient via scratches in the skin. Unfortunately, this form of immunisation isn't very reliable, Edward Jenner's vaccine hadn't been invented yet, and a 'patient' died according to the memorandum at the bottom of the page. However, looking at the burials for that year 5 people, 3 being infants, have 'small pox' after their names in the register over a span of the first 3 months of the year.
It turns out that in 1781, 'the small pox appeared in the parish' an inoculation took place to try and immunise people of the disease. This worked by rubbing or inserting powdered smallpox scabs into the patient via scratches in the skin. Unfortunately, this form of immunisation isn't very reliable, Edward Jenner's vaccine hadn't been invented yet, and a 'patient' died according to the memorandum at the bottom of the page. However, looking at the burials for that year 5 people, 3 being infants, have 'small pox' after their names in the register over a span of the first 3 months of the year.
Courtesy of Ancestry and the Norfolk Records Office
This shows that going through the actual registers can give an insight to the history of the parish where your ancestors lived. My Rudland family probably had to endure this back in 1871 and it's an insight you get just going back through the parish records a page at a time.
The people who have 'small pox' next to their name were probably people who died at the time the inoculation took place but only one was able to be connected to it. The people who were buried in the parish with 'small pox' after their name were:
I hope this article shows you that there could be more information about there about your ancestor's past than you may know.
Published: 13 October 2016
The people who have 'small pox' next to their name were probably people who died at the time the inoculation took place but only one was able to be connected to it. The people who were buried in the parish with 'small pox' after their name were:
- John Allen, an infant, son of Nicholas & Elizabeth Allen. He was baptised in April of the preceding year and was buried on the 24 January 1781.
- Thomas Addison, probably the son of Thomas & Mary Addison; baptised in October 1777 - however he is not described as an infant. He was buried a day after John on the 25 January.
- Anne Hey, the one I can't seem to find anything on in the parish. She is not described as an infant. Buried on the 9 February.
- Francis Banyard, an infant, son to William & Mary Banyard. He was baptised in November 1779 and buried on the 10 February, a day after Anne.
- Mary Francis, an infant, the daughter of John and Elizabeth Francis and a twin sister to Elizabeth Francis junior - who may have died a few months after they were born in 1774. Buried on the 8 March.
I hope this article shows you that there could be more information about there about your ancestor's past than you may know.
Published: 13 October 2016
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