Joseph Hancock, son of George Hancock, boot tree maker, died at 3 Haddon Place, Waterloo Road on March 7, 1844, aged 3 months 9 days, of convulsions.

The above information was provided to the registrar, A. Nesford, on March 9, 1844, by his father, who was present at the death (1).

It had long been assumed that my 2 × great grandfather Joseph Hancock had been born in 1843, but the discovery of a second male child, born in 1845 and also christened Joseph, raised the not unreasonable suspicion that this was not in fact the case. The receipt of the first Joseph’s death certificate confirms that my great great grandfather was not who we thought he was!

1. England and Wales, death certificate for Joseph Hancock, died 7 March 1844; citing 4/336/175, March quarter 1844, Saint George the Martyr Southwark registration district, London Road Southwark sub-district; General Register Office, Southport.