Helena Chapman’s brothers and sisters New information.

Thomas and Mary had 14 children, tragically eight of them died before their forth birthday. Infant mortality was high in those days but rarely this high. Thomas had a good job, he was a slater/tiler progressing to roofing foreman so although very much working class the family couldn’t have lived in great poverty. I have started looking into the short lives of those that died young and so far I have found the following information.

Robert Joseph, their eldest, was born on 3 June 1883 at home, 51 Hodgson Street in Hull. He died at home aged 14 weeks after suffering from diarrhoea for 38 days and eczema for 12 days. I have read (somewhere) that it was common in Victorian times to feed babies with cows milk from birth. Perhaps this caused the eczema, while the diarrhoea may have been caused by not sterilising bottles.

Thomas Henry was born on 7 March 1885 at home, 51 Hodgson Street in Hull. He died at home just 12 days later from convulsions.

These babies were the third generation to be born on Hodgson Street after their mother and her father. Before July I plan to add a few maps showing some key Hull locations, including Hodgson Street.

More on Thomas Joseph Chapman’s family tree

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