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Read about historical events at the time they were happening. Perhaps you'll discover your ancestor in their local newspaper?
North-South death divide has been around for 150 years
To coincide with the ONS report released today on life expectancy at birth, Genes Reunited searched the death records from 1866 and 1911 and found that the north-south divide was the same 150 years ago with people in the north dying earlier than those in the south.
Oxford has remained one of the best places to live in terms of life expectancy as both men and women were living longer there in 1866 as well as today.
For women, the best place to live in 1866 was Norwich as they reached the then ripe old age of 43. The worst places for them to live were northern cities including Sheffield and Liverpool. For men, the best place to live was Norwich, with men living to 38 while the worst places were also northern cities such as Liverpool and Newcastle Upon-Tyne as the records had men dying there aged 27.
In 1911, the best places for women to live remained on the lower half of the North-South divide but changed to Oxford and Southampton. The worst place for women to live just over 100-years ago was Liverpool as they died, on average, aged 36.
For men in 1911, one of the best places to live was Oxford as people were recorded as reaching 47 years of age while they died the youngest in northern cities such as Sheffield and Liverpool aged 37.
Data released by ONS today highlights that Manchester and Liverpool are the two places with the shortest life expectancy in the UK. In Manchester, on average, people live to 77 and in Merseyside people live to 76.
Rhoda Breakell, Head of Genes Reunited, said: 'We thought it would be really interesting to look back at the census records, which are now fully-searchable online, and compare them to the ONS figures. We have discovered some interesting comparisons between now and 1911 and 1866'.
Flick through Genes Reunited's online newspaper collection from yesteryear, search the 515 million records, 780 million names and community boards to connect with family past and present. Why not see if you can find a long lost family member, unearth family secrets, discover who you get your looks from, or build your family tree. Visit http://www.genesreunited.co.uk
Read more: http://www.express.co.uk/news/health/417253/Southerners-live-10-years-longer-than-northerners
Places where men died the youngest in 1911
| Place | Age of death |
|---|---|
| Manchester | 34 |
| Liverpool | 37 |
| Sheffield | 37 |
| Birmingham | 39 |
| Newcastle Upon-Tyne | 41 |
| Leeds | 43 |
| London | 43 |
| Cardiff | 44 |
| Bristol | 45 |
| Norwich | 45 |
Places where men live the longest in 1911
| Place | Age of death |
|---|---|
| Birmingham | 39 |
| Newcastle Upon-Tyne | 41 |
| Leeds | 43 |
| London | 43 |
| Cardiff | 44 |
| Norwich | 45 |
| Bristol | 45 |
| Oxford | 47 |
| Southampton | 47 |
| Bradford | 47 |
Places where men died the youngest in 1866
| Place | Age of death |
|---|---|
| Newcastle Upon-Tyne | 27 |
| Birmingham | 27 |
| Liverpool | 27 |
| Sheffield | 28 |
| London | 30 |
| Leeds | 30 |
| Southampton | 30 |
| Cardiff | 31 |
| Manchester | 31 |
| Bristol | 32 |
Places where men lived the longest in 1866
| Place | Age of death |
|---|---|
| Norwich | 38 |
| Oxford | 34 |
| Bradford | 32 |
| Bristol | 32 |
| Manchester | 31 |
| Cardiff | 31 |
| Southampton | 30 |
| Leeds | 30 |
| London | 30 |
| Sheffield | 28 |
Comments
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Seems like anywhere near coal dust/mining was a death knell. World wide it hasn't changed much today,
Although there is a huge reduction in the volume of coal mining still taking place, the places such as China (major problem hiking the death rate up is as a result of government largesse - giving free coal for heating to poor communities. In these areas death rates are soaring. Here in New Zealand there is now very little coal mining & as a result unemployment is a huge problem in a number of areas especially the West Coast of the South Island, central North Island, & other smaller centres. Yes, we still have mine accidents resulting in deaths & miners with poor lung & heart health so the death rate will continue but it is great to be almost free of that air pollution. I have numerous ancestors lying under grave markers in Scotland, England, & New Zealand & an ancestor who was the Minister of Mines. I have always hated the so called "black Gold" pelo |
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Also a big factor: poverty, of course. On one branch of my family crushing poverty and early deaths. On another branch relative affluence and fewer early deaths. Further down those branches longevity even for those from the poor branch. Probably antibiotics and the tackling of poverty?
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I found an interesting snippet on how death/ life expectancy is calculated. It's not as you would expect look at ADULTS dying and seeing which age range the deaths occur. Its ALL deaths put into a 'pot' and AVERAGED out. The stats are mightily skewed for doing it that way as children make up the numbers too.
If child mortality was high, then it brings down the 'adult' life expectancy in that area. My rellies were all Nottingham/Leicester/Lincoln from 1700 and by and large lived into their 70's. We lost a few children under 3y/o in certain family lines. The occupations were blue collar. |