Burials in Leeds Parish Register 1764-1772


Cause of Death

The Leeds Parish Register lists a 'disorder' that caused the death for the majority of burials in the years January 1764 to December 1772. One problem is to try to identify what these 'disorders' actually were. Terms like 'chincough', 'wearing' and 'old age', while descriptive, do not tell us much and 'fevers' and 'fitts' could be anything. There is also the possibility that the terms used are those favoured by the clerk who wrote them down. Towards the end of the period the causes, 'decline' and 'decay' come into use.

Table C-1 lists the disorders named in alphabetical order while Table C-2 sorts them into the frequency with which people died from them. 886 burials with no recorded cause of death invalidates any attempt to perform meaningful statistical analyses. It is very noticeable that none of the causes listed implies death from any form of violence other than self inflicted. Women as well as men committed suicide with descriptions varying from 'self murder' to 'hanged herself'

There were traffic accidents, the son of John Lambe was 'Killd by a Waggon' and buried on 30th October, 1765, while the son of John Waddington was killed 'by stroke of a horse' and buried on 27th May, 1770.

Only one death is listed as being 'by excess of liquor', a George Gill, buried on the 4th May, 1770, despite the town being full of ale houses.

Two poisonings in May 1766 are curious, both being listed as 'daughter of' different men and both living at Quarry Hill. These deserve further investigation but no additional comment is made in the register, or by the transcribers. It is quite possible that they were little children who picked and ate some poisonous plant while out playing or were they infants who were given too much medicine?

Infant mortality was the greatest problem at the time. Buchan said 'almost one half of the children born in Great Britain die under twelve years of age.' [Buchan 1797 p1] which he attributed to 'improper management or neglect' [Buchan 1797 Preface viii]

A number of virulent infections, with no effective cures or preventatives, were waiting to attack each child. That survival through childhood meant they were quite hardy is shown by Robert Ogleby who was buried on 17th November, 1768 apparently aged 114.

Causes of Death during the period January 1764 - December 1772

Table C-1

Accident 12
Ague 1
Apoplectic Fitt 1
Apoplexy 22
Asthma 29
Billious Fever 1
Burned 2
By excess of liquor 1
C 1
Cancer 3
Child Bed 41
Chin Cough 43
Cholic 1
Consumption 532
Convulsions 1
Cough 1
Decay 34
Decline 48
Dropsy 53
Drowned 10
Fever 338
Fistula 1
Fitts 529
Flux 2
Gout 5
Gout Stomk 1
Gripes 4
Impost 2
Inflam Bowels 7
Jaundice 1
Measles 52
Miscarriage 1
Mortification Bowels 8
Mortification 11
Mortification in his Feet 1
Old Age 373
Palsey 12
Poisoned 2
Poor 1
Pox 6
Quinseys 2
Rupture 4
Scalded 1
Smallpox 288
Stone 3
Strain 2
Sudden 5
Suicide 5
Surfeit 3
Swellings 11
Teeth 21
Unknown 886
Wearing 217
White Swelling 1
Worms 1

 

Cause of Death during the years January 1764 - December 1772

Sorted in descending frequency of occurrence

Table C-2

Unknown 886
Consumption 532
Fitts 529
Old Age 373
Fever 338
Smallpox 288
Wearing 217
Dropsy 53
Measles 52
Decline 48
Chin Cough 43
Child Bed 41
Decay 34
Asthma 29
Apoplexy 22
Teeth 21
Palsey 12
Accident 12
Mortification 11
Swellings 11
Drowned 10
Mortification Bowels 8
Inflam Bowels 7
Pox 6
Gout 5
Suicide 5
Sudden 5
Gripes 4
Rupture 4
Surfeit 3
Cancer 3
Stone 3
Burned 2
Impost 2
Flux 2
Poisoned 2
Strain 2
Gout Stomk 1
Jaundice 1
Poor 1
Mortification in his Feet 1
Fistula 1
Quinseys 2
Cough 1
Miscarriage 1
Convulsions 1
Cholic 1
Scalded 1
C 1
By excess of liquor 1
Billious Fever 1
Apoplectic Fitt 1
Ague 1
White Swelling 1
Worms 1

One problem with interpreting the cause of death is in knowing exactly what is meant by each of the terms used. Some, such as smallpox and measles, are still used today but others can only be guessed at. A few hours with a medical dictionary [Motherby 1775] and domestic medicine book [Buchan 1797] were only moderately enlightening but induced great gratitude that medicine has advanced in the past two centuries. The most frequently used terms still remain a mystery. Wearing was not mentioned but the name evokes thoughts of the unfortunates just 'wearing out', perhaps from malnutrition and maybe exhaustion in the case of the adult victims. However Robinson defines the term 'wearing' as 'A Wearing, a consumption. "She went off in a wearing." ' [Robinson 1855 p190] which might imply that 'wearing' was an alternative term for consumption.

Consumption, although nowadays acknowledged to be tuberculosis, appears to have included other chest diseases as illustrated by Figure C-1, a page from Buchan [1797 p174-175] It can be seen from Table C-2 that it was the most frequently named cause of death in the whole 9 year period. If the wearing totals should also be included then the implications of the incidence of consumption in the population was truly alarming, since it would mean that at least 20% of the burials under scrutiny were from the one named cause, even though that one heading appears to aggregate a number of different ailments.

Fevers and Fitts figure highly in our charts but not so prominently in the books. Fevers apparently came in many varieties and were also a feature of other, named, diseases. Fitts could have been the terminal phase of many ailments, including the fevers. It is suggestive that, when the wife of William Brockelbank is buried on the 27th August 1765, having died from Fever, and the son of William Brockelbank died from Fitts and was buried on the 3rd September, 1765, they both actually died from the same disease which was recorded differently.

With smallpox it was apparently the secondary fever, after the pustules, which was the most dangerous time, while fits were taken to be a good sign that the fever was breaking. The description of the management of smallpox in Buchan [1797 pp214] leads to speculation as to whether the patients died of the disease or the treatment. He implies that the patients families frequently demanded intervention where none should be given and preferred to leave the unfortunate person in the same clothes, to keep them warm, to the extent that they became stiff and stuck to them. Combined with bleeding, blistering and purging it seems remarkable that any survived.


Figure C-1
from Buchan 1797

 

Figure C-2 shows the number of burials attributed to smallpox as a stacked bar chart. It can clearly be seen that the peak is during the winter months although there is a steady level during the summer. Buchan [1797] considered that smallpox appeared in Spring, was frequent in Summer, less in Autumn and least in Winter which would appear to contradict our findings unless, we apply the Bradley quote and consider that these winter deaths could also be attributed to secondary pneumonia. [Bradley 1982 p89] However since the January and February burials show unusually high figures in 1764 it is equally possible that they are the end of an epidemic, although Morgan only mentions an epidemic in 1773, just after the detailed figures end. [Morgan 1980 p63]

 

smallpox burials / month

Figure C-2
Incidence of Smallpox

It must also be noted that Morgan's burial rates for the years 1771 and 1775 seem to include around 141 and 117 more burials than do the registers of the three churches in this study, which is high even when they are 5 year averages. It would seem to be unlikely that the Quakers alone could account for this discrepancy, particularly when compared with Aikens totals [Table A-2], and so would imply that all his figures include the out-townships. However, Wilson stipulates that the population figures are for Leeds township only. [Wilson 1971 p202] This would indicate that some other registers need to be included in this study if the figures are to be reconciled.

The treatment for inflamed bowels seems to indicate that it was constipation and the horrifying last ditch effort to produce a stool was to administer mercury. It was noted that this should not be used in the case of mortification of the gut since it would then kill the patient. This indicates that mortification of the bowel is some form of blockage.

Table C-3 attempts to relate the disorders listed in the register with ailments today.

The case of worms is perhaps extra unfortunate since Buchan recommends 'Harrowgate water' as a cure. [Buchan 1797 p368]

The half yearly breakdown, as a stacked bar chart, has already been shown in the main text as Figure 2. The annual breakdown by disease can been seen in Figure C-3 as a series of pie charts derived from Tables C-4 for 1764, Table C-5 for 1765, Table C-6 for 1766, Table C-7 for 1767, Table C-8 for 1768, Table C-9 for 1769, Table C-10 for 1770, Table C-11 for 1771 and Table C-12 for 1772. As with the bar chart it can be seen that the number of burials with an unknown cause of death dominate the graphs.

The diseases listed by name on the graphs reflect the ones prevalent in the register for the first 3½ years. It is assumed that the growth of the section labelled 'other' is partly caused by a change in terminology over the years. As Leeds was well supplied with apothecaries over this period it seems strange that terms used should vary so much, though perhaps less puzzling when their ability to register people under the wrong names, is remembered.

This information gives a fascinating 'snapshot' of the way of death of a fair proportion of the population of Georgian Leeds.

It must be noted that deaths from diseases like bubonic plague, typhus and cholera, none of which appear in this study, all have the common factor of bad housing. The bubonic plague is spread by the fleas from house rats which infest houses made from wood and other soft materials. Typhus can also arise from these conditions while also being spread by lice. Cholera was encouraged by houses with no sanitation and inadequate drainage, which were so crowded together that it was difficult for even air to circulate.

At the time of this study housing had not yet degenerated to that stage and the water supply was still adequate for the population.

Possible Disease Identification Chart

Table C-3

Ague Intermittent fever
Apoplexy burst aneurism
Asthma asthma
Cancer cancer
Child Bed sometimes miliary fever
Chin Cough whooping cough
Cholic bilious
Consumption TB and other chest problems
Decay nervous consumption?
Decline ?
Dropsy Dropsy
Fever many fevers including dysentry
Fistula
Fitts fits, convulsions
Flux Dysentry
Impost Boils or ulcers. Short for imposthume
Inflam Bowels possibly constipation?
Jaundice Jaundice
Measles Measles
Mortification Bowels perhaps cancer
Mortification gangrene
Old Age heart and other age related problems
Palsy uncontrolled movements
Pox chicken pox, cow pox, smallpox
Quinseys Inflammation of the throat
Rupture obstruction of the bowel
Smallpox Smallpox
Wearing Consumption?

 

Cause of Death - 1764 - Monthly totals by disorder

Table C-4

1764 Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Totals
Asthma 1 1 1 1 4
Child Bed 1 1 1 3
Chin Cough 1 1 4 1 7
Consumption 1 1 8 8 7 8 3 7 2 3 4 52
Dropsy 2 1 1 2 2 1 2 1 1 13
Fevers 3 2 2 6 3 4 7 3 7 2 1 40
Fitts 4 3 8 5 4 2 5 10 8 4 1 2 56
Measles 0
Old Age 4 9 1 4 4 3 4 1 2 1 33
Smallpox 16 21 6 1 3 2 1 1 1 1 53
Wearing 7 8 3 3 5 2 1 2 31
Accidents 2 2
Other 1 5 1 2 2 11
Unknown 7 4 2 2 2 3 2 4 2 5 7 40
Totals 44 50 34 31 35 27 22 21 33 14 17 17 345

 

Causes of Death 1764

 

 

Cause of Death - 1765 - Monthly totals by disorder

Table C-5

1765 Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Totals
Asthma 1 1 1 1 1 5
Child Bed 1 1 1 1 1 5
Chin Cough 1 1 1 1 1 5
Consumption 5 9 6 8 9 6 6 7 4 5 10 6 81
Dropsy 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7
Fevers 8 1 4 2 4 3 2 5 5 4 5 43
Fitts 3 7 2 6 10 12 7 4 4 5 1 7 68
Measles 0
Old Age 8 1 4 2 2 1 4 1 1 3 2 4 33
Smallpox 1 1 1 3 4 10
Wearing 0
Accidents 1 1 2 1 1 6
Other 3 1 3 2 3 1 2 2 17
Unknown 7 5 8 7 5 5 4 7 4 2 1 8 63
Suicide 1 1

Totals

37 27 28 30 33 35 28 23 19 24 25 35 344

 

Causes of Death 1765

 

 

Cause of Death - 1766 - Monthly totals by disorder

Table C-6

1766 Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Totals
Asthma 1 3 4
Child Bed 1 2 1 1 1 1 7
Chin Cough 1 1 2
Consumption 4 6 12 10 6 12 7 10 2 3 2 6 80
Dropsy 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8
Fevers 9 2 4 4 6 6 5 3 5 7 8 1 60
Fitts 8 5 2 5 3 7 6 4 7 6 9 62
Measles 2 2
Old Age 3 8 3 3 4 3 3 5 3 3 1 6 45
Smallpox 2 1 5 1 4 5 2 2 5 1 2 30
Wearing 1 1 2
Accidents 2 1 3
Other 3 4 2 1 2 2 1 2 1 18
Unknown 5 8 5 8 4 5 5 5 7 8 5 5 70
Totals 39 37 31 36 31 42 29 29 29 31 27 32 393

 

Causes of Death 1766

 

 

Cause of Death - 1767 - Monthly totals by disorder

Table C-7

1767 Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Totals
Asthma 1 1 2
Child Bed 1 1 1 1 1 5
Chin Cough 1 1
Consumption 10 2 4 7 11 5 5 6 8 7 4 5 74
Dropsy 2 2 1 5
Fevers 5 2 6 2 7 4 3 4 4 4 6 3 50
Fitts 3 6 1 8 10 5 3 7 5 2 5 55
Measles 5 4 11 11 12 4 1 48
Old Age 2 4 1 3 4 4 8 7 3 2 2 5 45
Smallpox 5 3 2 11 12 14 10 4 5 1 67
Wearing 2 4 4 1 1 2 14
Accidents 1 1
Other 2 1 1 4 1 1 3 4 17
Unknown 17 28 26 37 4 6 2 1 4 3 4 2 134
Totals 47 46 56 65 48 44 45 41 41 28 28 29 518

 

Causes of Death 1767

 

 

Cause of Death - 1768 - Monthly totals by disorder

Table C-8

1768 Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Totals
Asthma 2 1 1 4
Child Bed 1 1 1 3
Chin Cough 2 3 3 2 10
Consumption 6 4 11 1 8 6 13 6 1 5 1 2 64
Dropsy 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7
Fevers 4 12 11 4 3 9 6 2 3 4 5 5 68
Fitts 5 4 7 6 4 8 3 9 5 7 4 3 65
Measles 0
Old Age 6 4 3 5 7 6 2 4 4 3 4 1 49
Smallpox 7 6 1 2 5 7 3 6 1 3 3 2 46
Wearing 2 2 7 7 1 3 3 5 2 1 1 34
Accidents 1 1
Other 3 1 3 1 2 1 3 5 3 3 2 27
Unknown 7 6 2 8 4 13 3 3 5 7 3 8 69
Totals 44 37 39 37 40 53 34 39 29 40 27 28 447

 

Causes of Death 1768

 

 

Cause of Death - 1769 - Monthly totals by disorder

Table C-9

1769 Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Totals
Asthma 1 1
Child Bed 1 1 1 1 4
Chin Cough 1 1 2
Consumption 2 6 11 8 7 6 4 4 2 5 2 6 63
Dropsy 2 1 1 4
Fevers 1 4 4 1 1 2 2 2 1 2 6 1 27
Fitts 5 4 5 7 8 4 5 7 3 2 5 4 59
Measles 0
Old Age 2 5 6 3 4 1 2 3 2 4 3 35
Smallpox 2 2 1 2 1 2 10
Wearing 1 1 1 5 4 2 4 2 2 1 23
Accidents 1 1 2 4
Other 3 2 3 1 2 1 5 2 4 23
Unknown 5 7 9 9 4 3 6 3 5 13 5 15 84
Suicide 1 1
Totals 22 30 37 33 30 24 24 21 15 33 30 41 340

 

Causes of Death 1769

 

 

Cause of Death - 1770 - Monthly totals by disorder

Table C-10

1770 Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Totals
Asthma 1 1
Child Bed 1 1 2 1 5
Chin Cough 1 1 1 1 4
Consumption 6 5 4 4 3 5 10 1 1 3 1 1 44
Dropsy 1 2 1 1 5
Fevers 4 4 1 3 3 2 1 1 3 3 25
Fitts 3 2 10 8 4 4 4 2 5 6 7 2 57
Measles 0
Old Age 3 3 2 6 4 3 3 4 2 3 2 4 39
Smallpox 6 1 10 9 2 1 4 2 2 1 3 10 51
Wearing 1 5 3 7 6 5 4 4 6 4 2 3 50
Accidents 1 1 1 1 1 5
Other 3 4 2 2 6 5 4 4 3 1 5 3 42
Unknown 9 8 13 8 8 9 6 2 12 11 17 15 118
Suicide 1 1 2
Totals 37 34 45 50 38 36 38 20 32 35 44 39 448

 

Causes of Death 1770

 

 

 

Cause of Death - 1771 - Monthly totals by disorder

Table C-11

1771 Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Totals
Asthma 1 1 2
Child Bed 2 1 3
Chin Cough 3 1 4
Consumption 2 1 4 6 3 4 7 4 2 3 36
Dropsy 2 1 1 4
Fevers 1 5 4 2 1 1 1 15
Fitts 6 3 5 6 11 4 2 3 5 5 50
Measles 0
Old Age 4 7 3 3 3 8 3 8 2 2 2 3 48
Smallpox 4 1 2 1 1 2 3 1 1 1 1 18
Wearing 1 5 7 2 1 4 3 3 2 1 29
Accidents 1 1
Other 3 5 3 7 7 6 4 2 1 3 1 42
Unknown 20 15 14 17 8 4 8 2 3 13 11 27 142
Suicide 1 1
Totals 45 41 40 42 38 29 27 23 13 25 31 41 395

 

Causes of Death 1771

 

Cause of Death - 1772 - Monthly totals by disorder

Table C-12

1772 Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Totals
Asthma 1 2 1 1 1 6
Child Bed 1 1 1 2 1 6
Chin Cough 3 2 1 2 1 4 13
Consumption 2 2 4 4 14 8 3 5 42
Dropsy 1 1 1 3
Fevers 1 1 2 3 2 4 13
Fitts 5 7 7 3 7 3 3 2 1 6 3 47
Measles 1 1 2
Old Age 3 4 4 5 4 3 2 4 3 5 7 2 46
Smallpox 2 1 3
Wearing 4 3 4 5 5 4 6 3 34
Accidents 1 1
Other 1 1 8 3 3 4 2 5 2 1 30
Unknown 24 16 25 17 30 8 6 11 6 5 8 10 166
Totals 45 39 42 45 55 25 24 25 31 25 30 26 412

 

Causes of Death 1772

 

Graphical representation of Causes of Death in the years 1764 - 1772

now below their tables.

 

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