Date of Death: December 11, 1859
At: Cowgate, Peterborough, England
Name: Samuel Arnsby
Age: 71 years This would make the d.o.b. 1788
Occupation: Gentleman
Cause of Death: Paralysis
Informant: 'X" The mark of Jane Taylor In Attendance Albert Place, Peterboro.

The 1841 Census info would make Samuel's Date of Birth - 1793.
The 1851 Census info would make Samuel's Date of Birth - 1796.

We have pursued this line of enquiry with the incredible and invaluable help of Jan Farbridge. Jan lives in that area and has been very generous with her expertise and her time.

THANK YOU JAN!

Here's what we know:

In the main reference library, local census records plus local newspapers on microfilm searched for notices of a death or funeral.

The place of Abode is listed as Peterborough. Is this because he lived in Peterborough or because that's where he was when he died? If he lived in Peterborough, why would he have been a lodger at the Blue Bell?

The 1851 Census for Albert Place doesn't list a Jane Taylor. FYI - a large proportion of the inhabitants were railway workers, as this area is close to the station.

Was Jane Taylor a member of Samuel's family or an employee of the Blue Bell? Jane Taylor registered the death and Samuel's age was recorded as 71 on the Death Certificate, not 70 or 70ish but 71.

Did the circumstances of Samuel's death involve an inquest?

It is not indicated on the death certificate and may have been if there had been an inquest. Many coroners' records have been destroyed, and remaining ones are probably at the county record office which may be in Northampton.

Where was Samuel buried?

We don't know but here some information about potential cemeteries.

Major cemeteries were completely swept away to make room for recent building. There was a cemetery was at the end of Cowgate (which is one of the main old streets in the centre of Peterborough) but it was around the time that the Cowgate cemetery couldn't accommodate anyone else, so unless Samuel had a plot reserved there, he would most likely be in Broadway cemetery (still in use today).

There are five cemeteries in Peterborough:

* Broadway (1858)
* Woodston (1882)
* Stanground (1890)
* Fletton (1893)
* Eastfield (1919)

About 20 years ago (circa 1980) the Peterborough Family Historical Society recorded all the memorial inscriptions for the Broadway cemetery as ne of the society's first projects.

There was no Samuel Arnsby listed but a memorial inscription was found for an Arnsby couple in St Botolph's churchyard at Longthorpe, a village just on the edge of Peterborough (a Peterborough suburb). Their inscriptions read something like this:

Near this place are deposited the remains of Robert Arnsby, died January (year unreadable) aged 26 also of Jane Headdy (presumably Arnsby) relict, died August 1870 aged 71 (obviously a bad age for Arnsbys!).

Could Robert be a brother/son/cousin/nephew of Samuel. Our Samuel had a son named Samuel Robert Arnsby born in 1834, he would have been age 26 in 1859....

Probate:

The probate index was checked for a Will or Letters of Administration, nothing up to 1863. It could have been done later or there was nothing for Samuel to leave.

Albert Place:

A remnant of the street is still in Peterborough today.

Where is the 'Blue Bell' Samuel staying at when he died?

There WAS a pub called the Blue Bell in Cowgate. It is mentioned in an 1822 directory through to 1896.

UPDATE!!!!

October 2003 - we received an e-mail from Andrew in England; Andrew told us that the building that was the Blue Bell Inn still stands today. No longer called the Blue Bell Inn, the building sports the name 'Robertson's'; it is a bicycle shop.

Andrew also told us of a friend, Steve, who could supply us with additional information about the Blue Bell Inn!

This was more than we dreamed. It was very exciting when the pictures of the Blue Bell arrived via e-mail. One picture that looks to be circa 1900 shows the sign for the Blue Bell Inn above the door. The other is the Blue Bell Inn building as it is today (minus the two roof dormers).

Located along Cowgate opposite the Old Burial Ground. An old Public House in use before 1811. The Inclosure Claims show that the owners were Buckles Brewery:

• Landlord, John Sann until the property was sold in 1845.
• 1847 Landlady, Mrs. Smith
• 1848 William Percival
• 1851 Vacant
• Mr Perkins
• 1853 -1859 Francis Holditch***
• 1861 Sam Smith Banister
• 1862 William Williamson
• 1866 to 1871 Landlady Mrs. Whitehead.
• The Blue Bell became the property of Outlack's Brewery.
• 1874 -1878 Landlord, Mr. William Close
• 1878 -1898 W. Watson
• 1901 to 1903 Arther Thrower
• 1906-1908 Sam Goss is the last name I found as landlord.

The road layout was changed for the Railway bridge built in 1913 and the Blue Bell Inn ceased to be a Public House.

***FRANCIS HOLDITCH

1814 Born in Dogsthorpe (Peterborough)

1844 married Catherine of Glapthorn at Thrapston (between Peterborough & Northampton).

1850 Francis was a Master Butcher of 39, Westgate (Peterborough) at St John's Street.

1851 Francis had become the Innkeeper of the Blue Bell (Bluebell) Inn, Cowgate which he kept until his death on New Year's Day 1860.

Catherine carried on running the Inn for a further two years.

1852 list of electors he held land in Westgate, but lived in Cowgate. One of his brothers had a furnishers shop, Holditch & Sons House Furnishers at 15 Cowgate, quite close to the Inn.

This information about Francis Holditch being a Butcher was particularly interesting. Our Samuel had been a Butcher and the other possible Samuel Arnsby was a Cattle Drover. Could the relationship between Samuel and Francis be more than just Landlord and Lodger.

THANK YOU!

Andy and Steve for the pictures and information about the Blue Bell Inn.

Directories:

The library holds quite a good collection, however, only one or two for the 1840-60 period, no Arnsbys found.

Pigot's Directory for 1830:

Wisbeach (now spelt Wisbech), Cambridgeshire, Jno Arnsby, leather cutter, Church Street.

Cook's Directory of Peterborough:

1894 - John Arnsby at Arnsby Place, Crawthorne Road (near the junction with Broadway, where the cemetery is)

1894 - In the same volume is John Arnsby, Publican at the Black Bull Inn, Whittlesey (father of Lizzie Hannah Arnsby).

1896 - Mention of the Blue Bell

So, is this the Death Certicate of our Samuel Arnsby???

We don't know :-(

We are still searching.