A Dane who settled in Sunderland

[rcarlson]

Vilhelm Schou was born in Copenhagen in 1852. He married a Sunderland lass in 1882. He eventually settled down in Sunderland and at some point changed his name to to a more English sounding William Carlson. He lived in Page Street in the 1901 census [RG13 / 4715]. In the Electoral rolls of 1906 and 1907 he was living in Hutton Street. In the 1911 census his wife is a widow.

I have not found a record of his death so far.

A family story suggests he died at sea. The question is would he be recorded in any UK records if they thought he was a Dane?

My next line of attack, when I'm next in Sunderland, is to trawl [sorry for the pun]  through the local newspaper.

Does anyone have any good ideas that will help me find a record of Vilhelm's death?

Thanks for reading - Richard

[jacksgranny]

Welcome to Rootschat Richard!

Could this be him?

Death for William Carson, Sept Q 1909, Sunderland, vol 10a pg 301, aged 59.

Regards
Pauline

[davidft]

On the 1911 census it says they had been married either 27 or 29 years - its  hard to decipher. 27 years would tie in with the record jacksgranny found

(Incidentally don't know if you saw he is listed twice on the 1901 census. Once at home, and one as a crew member of his ship)

[rcarlson]

@jacksgranny - Thank you for the reply. I had spotted that possibility and checked out the Bishopwearmouth burial register for that date. I found the entry but sadly it was not Vilhelm.

@davidft - again thanks - it all helps. I have their marriage certificate - April 1882. Also spotted the census entry for the ship Wearmouth - is that the one you found? This gives me another clue and a possibility to look further into shipping and merchant seamen records. Unfortunately the Wearmouth was sold (I think in 1903).

Richard

[davidft]

@davidft - again thanks - it all helps. I have their marriage certificate - April 1882. Also spotted the census entry for the ship Wearmouth - is that the one you found? This gives me another clue and a possibility to look further into shipping and merchant seamen records. Unfortunately the Wearmouth was sold (I think in 1903).

Richard

Yes it was the Wearmouth

If you are going to look into deaths at sea then www.findmypast.co.uk has

Maritime deaths 1794-1964

so if Willliam died on a British ship he should be in there even if he was still Danish

[rcarlson]

Thanks David - I'll give that a go too - I've been thinking about getting a FindMyPast three month voucher.

Richard

[lizrig]

Hi Richard, I came across this thread while researching my own family tree and wondered if you'd had any luck with finding Vilhelm (William)'s death record?
V is my gggrandfather on my mothers side. Any help would be appreciated. Liz

[pityackafromblyth]

Richard, I did a similar search for a Danish relative who settled in Blyth in the 19th Century.  As a result of making the query in the Europe section, here in RootsChat, I was pointed to the following- www.ddd.dda.dk   It is a Danish site re ancestry.  When you first access the site it will be in Danish, but by clicking the Union Jack you will be able to see the English version.
My query revealed when and where he was born in Denmark, also his parents, brother(s) and sister(s).  So visit to the www.ddd.dda.dk  may be more than helpful for you.
 

[pityackafromblyth]

A second site is www.danishfamilysearch.com   and looking back I believe this was the site where I gathered most information when I was tracing my Danish relative.