In 1910, Mary Ann gave birth to triplets. Harold died shortly after he was born. Edith died when she was one year old. Leonard lived until he was 45 years old. Could cerebral palsy have caused his early death?

Leonard Oxborough

Born: 24 APR 1910 in Leicester, Leicestershire County, England

Father: William Oxborough (1865 to 1932)
Mother: Mary Ann Carvell (1876 to 1952)

Spouse: none

Married: none

Children: none

Died: 1955 in Leicester, Leicestershire County, England

Timeline:

1910 Death of triplet brother, Harold
1911 Leicester, Leicestershire County, England
1911 Death of triplet sister, Edith
1932 Death of father, William
1939 Leicester, Leicestershire County, England
1952 Death of mother, Mary Ann
1955 Death and Burial

Occupation: never employed

Records:

1911 England Census Record
1939 England and Wales Register
England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
England & Wales, Death Index: 1916-2005

Variations of Surname: None

On 24 APR 1910, Mary Ann gave birth to triplets. The infants were christened Edith Elizabeth, Harold, and Leonard Oxborough.

The 1911 England census shows that Leonard’s mother had given birth to six children during their marriage. Two of the children died before the census was enumerated:

  1. Leslie Oxborough was born in 1908 and died within the same quarter of his birth.
  2. Harold Oxborough, one of the triplets, also died within the same quarter of his birth.

The other triplet, Edith, died after the 1911 census was enumerated. She was approximately one year old.

The 1939 England and Wales Registers show that Leonard was incapacitated and had never been employed.

This notation caused me to research the risks associated with giving birth to triplets. The article entitled Multiple Birth on Wikipedia suggests that many triplets were born prematurely. This would mean that the infant’s internal organs had not fully developed and could lead to death.

The article also states that cerebral palsy is more common in multiple births than in single births. This movement disorder could explain why Leonard never worked or got married.

Leonard died when he was 45 years old. It could be the effects of cerebral palsy that caused his early death.

Notes:

The surname, Oxborough, originated in Norfolk County, England. It appears in church registers as early as the mid-16th century. As the world population grew, these Oxborough ancestors moved to other counties in England. By the late 19th century, some had immigrated to Canada and Australia.

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