Even after more than a century - some things still have the power to shock.
In preparation for her visit to Ireland in 6 week's time my friend Jennette Gest continues with her research into her relatives - George's family. We exchange regular emails about our families and about how our respective research is progressing. I opened a welcome email from Jennette this morning and, along with the family news, there was an attachment of an original document; it filled in a little piece of the jigsaw of George's siblings - but it was also extremely sad.
From the 1911 census we had known that George's parents had 7 children of whom 5 had survived - George who was in Carriglea Industrial School and his four sisters who were in Goldenbridge Industrial School. We also had a record of little Mary Margaret who died in 1900 aged just 6 months from 'Convulsions'. But the last sibling remained a mystery to me until I opened the update from Jennette this morning.
It was an entry in the interment register for Glasnevin Cemetery recording the burial of John Jennette aged one year in October 1908.
At that time the infant mortality rate in Dublin was an astonishing 153.5 per 1000. So the death of a child, especially in a poor household, was no surprise.
However, it was the cause of John's death - Merasmus - which shocked me. I had never heard the word before and had to look it up - and there it was: Marasmus is a severe form of malnutrition resulting in the wasting away of fat, muscle and other body tissue - quite simply John had starved to death. Equally sad was the 'residence' for the deceased - it was the dreaded South Union Workhouse Dublin.
By managing to get her children into the Industrial Schools their mother had saved them from the Workhouse and, quite literally, saved their lives. Around the world today how many mothers are taking equally desperate measures to save their surviving children?
At that time the infant mortality rate in Dublin was an astonishing 153.5 per 1000. So the death of a child, especially in a poor household, was no surprise.
However, it was the cause of John's death - Merasmus - which shocked me. I had never heard the word before and had to look it up - and there it was: Marasmus is a severe form of malnutrition resulting in the wasting away of fat, muscle and other body tissue - quite simply John had starved to death. Equally sad was the 'residence' for the deceased - it was the dreaded South Union Workhouse Dublin.
By managing to get her children into the Industrial Schools their mother had saved them from the Workhouse and, quite literally, saved their lives. Around the world today how many mothers are taking equally desperate measures to save their surviving children?
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