I received the death certificate for John Hall (1846–?) that I ordered last week¹.

Unfortunately it doesn’t seem like it fits my ancestor:

Death in the Registration District of Tynemouth, Sub-district of Whitley, Northumberland, 1909, no. 331. Died 21 Sep 1909 at Low Steads, Backworth; John Hall; Male; age 62; Deputy Overman. Cause of death: Senile Decay certified. Informant was Charles Hall (signed name); relation: Son; residing at Low Steads, Backworth; present at death. The death was registered 22 Sep 1909.

My John Hall didn’t have a son named Charles and the Backworth residence doesn’t seem familiar.

My ancestry contact “US” mentioned they might have seen my John Hall in the 1911 census in the Morpeth Union Workhouse.

I looked the record up and found a John Hall, age 64, inmate, widower, formerly a coalminer hewer, born Northumberland East Hollywell². This age puts him as being born c.1847 which fits with my ancestor who was born in 1846 in East Holywell.

So, now I need to find his death. There are a couple of candidates to try:

• John Hall, age 70, Q1 1916, Tynemouth, vol 10B, page 277
• John Hall, age 73, Q3 1920, Morpeth, vol 10B, page 401

Luckily the second one was available as an immediate digital image so I ordered it and I’m pretty sure it’s my ancestor:

Death in the Registration District of Morpeth, Northumberland, 1920, no. 17. Died 2 Sep 1920 at Railway Station, Morpeth Castle, Morpeth; John Hall; Male; age 73; of 33 Third Row, Ashington U.D. Coal Miner (Timber drawer). Cause of death: Probably arteio schlerosis and syncope. Informant was George W. Hall (signed name); relation: Son; residing at 33 Third Row, Ashington. The death was registered 11 Sep 1920.

The informant here was George W. Hall which is certainly his son George Wilson Hall. George and John are living at 33 Third Row which is where George was to be found in the 1911 census.

I’ve updated my records, Ancestry and FamilySearch to reflect this new information.