inquesition

[ginnypig]

during our family search we found out on a death record from 1825 that our relative died as a result of an inquesition. Any ideas what this means? We think it is the death sentance but we can't find anything out as to why or what for. any help out there.

[Quizmonster]

One of the old meanings of inquisition was what we would now call an inquest. So, are you sure it actually said "as a result of"? In other words it could be that the cause of death was decided by an inquest. (There is no word inquesition, so I assume that is a mis-spelling somewhere along the line.)

[ginnypig]

thanks for that, Yes that was a typing error it was very late when posting the question

[Quizmonster]

I wasn't criticising...it's just that I wasn't sure whether the spelling error was yours or whether it appeared as such on the document, Ginny!
Perhaps you could type out in full what the particular part of the document says and I may be able to have a more definite stab at its meaning. Cheers

[Quizmonster]

Oh, dear! Sorry about the excessive bold type...only your name was supposed to be so treated.

[ginnypig]

hi Quizmonster
this is what was sent to me :

Do you know of an inquisition that was held with Joseph Baines, George's Father? The gent I am speaking with in Brotherton said he died as a result of an inquisition? the date of his death is 29 jan 1825

I have tried to search for any info on google, but to date nothing

[Quizmonster]

The only meanings offered for inquisition by The Oxford English Dictionary - the 'bible' in such matters - are those involving an enquiry or examination into something or other, as in the inquest idea I offered earlier.
Accordingly, I suspect there is another spelling error involved here...ie inquisition has been used instead of a word that sounds like it. For example, an incussion meant an impact, so someone who died from one was probably dashed against something or struck by something in a collision.

[ginnypig]

ok Thanks for that, during a conversation the word execution was used so you could be right about a spelling error. although I have not yet found where you can find records of executions during that time.

[Quizmonster]

I'm not sure where you got the idea that an execution was involved. Yes, the Spanish Inquisition certainly put many people to death in Europe in the Middle Ages, but that is hardly relevant to England in the 1820s. I'm pretty certain you are barking up the wrong tree with that idea, ma'am.

[Peter Pedant]

IN the early ninneteenth century
if a death was not natural
then an inquest was heard

A local doctor would be employed to examine the body which may or may not include a post-mortem where he cut open the body and examined the internal organs (or not)

Witnesses could be called ('warned') and examined under oath in order to clarify thecause of death which would be determined by a jury.

There was a Coroners' Act 1888 and I thnk this was the first one, so that before that it would allbe decided according to the common law (=custom)

Dickens novels has at least one coroners scene the one I am thinking of is Lady Deadlock in the end of Bleak House. This will give you the background.

He would nt have died because of an inquisition but his death would be investigated by/in an inquisition. Later the name inquest took over (1900s)

[sigma]

If it was an inquest which sounds likely, I suggest you search the local papers of the time to see if the inquest was reported.
It should be within a week of the date of death.

[sigma]

as an addendum, the coroners records for that time are no longer available