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Family History Documents and Artefacts => Graveyards and Gravestones => Topic started by: Retriever on Sunday 13 December 15 14:13 GMT (UK)
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I have the burial records for my ancestors courtesy of Deceased on Line.
Under the column headed Remarks for the first burial there is a capital P and a small x. For the second burial in the same grave under Remarks there is the capital P again and two small x.
Does anyone have an explanation for these symbols?
Many thanks.
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The P may refer to it as a community grave [public] funded by the council or in later years such as National Assistance Board or DSS or the local council. The x probably refers to the number of coffins contained in the grave ie x =1 xx=2. You will really need to check with the Bereavement Services for the actual meaning see bereavement@lewisham.gov.uk
Prior to "government" agencies being formed the burials would have been funded out of parish funds which were known as Pauper Graves. By law the deceased were not allowed to be identified with a name board or headstone.
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Cemetery Friends
Many thanks for that. I think the capital P for community/pauper grave is probably right as he died in Greenwich Workhouse Infirmary.
He was one of several buried in the grave.
Regards
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Cemetery Friends. I admit to being an idiot! Ignore my last post, wrong ancestor. The one buried in the communal grave has nothing in the remarks column.
The capital P appears on the records for the married couple buried together. There is a headstone so maybe that has some bearing on the entry.
You are definitely right about the x as the first occupant of the grave has one x and the second occupant has xx on their record.
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Probably "Private" or more likely "Purchased", if they are the only burials in the grave. You should get an idea from which plot it is in.
Phil
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Many thanks for that.
"Purchased" makes perfect sense as they are the only occupants.