The mystery death of Kezia Rosina Southon

I often seek to investigate the reason for unusually young deaths within my family tree - especially as we get into more modern times when such things were at least a little rarer (well, supposedly). One such case was my 2nd Great Aunt, Kezia Rosina Southon who died aged 22. Rosina was the name given my birth mothers sister so it appeared to have been passed on and was something that had profoundly affected the family. Rosina has appeared, so far, just one other time before in my maternal family.

I received her death certificate yesterday and the cause of death was as equally surprising as the location.

Kezia Rosina Southon's Death Certificate

She died on the 21st of June 1915 at the Royal School for the Blind in Leatherhead. This location is now called "SeeAbility". I certainly prefer the original name!

Her death was listed as Peritonitis, lasting 5 days, and exhaustion. On wikipedia the potential causes of this "include perforation of the intestinal tract, pancreatitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, stomach ulcer, cirrhosis, or a ruptured appendix". It is likely she suffered greatly in the lead up to her death which is ia hard thing to deal with. Her job was a laundry maid, meaning she was employed there, and died "on the job". Nowadays, she would have likely been told to leave and been treated, and possibly saved. This is assumptive on my part - and i am not medically trained to properly interpret this.

The real tragedy is that a 22 year old girl - with a future ahead of her, had her life snuffed out. Her death, at such a tender age, would have been deeply traumatic for the immediate family. Jane Southon, my great grandmother, was just 36 when he sister died. Her daughter, Maude, my grandmother name her first daughter Rosina Simms. Rosina Simms was 10 when Jane passed away. The name passed on showing that there was clearly a great effect on the family.

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