An elusive death

[mrnolson]

I have just been asked by my mother-in-law to find out what happened to her biological mother after she died.
She died in 1964 and the death was registered in Westminster, but there'es no telling what happened to her body. Does anyone know where i should start?
Her children were placed in foster care temporarily as the father was in the RAF and couldn't cope. The family all ended up in Hendon a couple of years later so they all remained local.
But the father never spoke of the mother and made a point of avoiding the subject so I'm a llttle unsure what he might have done with his wife's body?

I really have no idea where to look.

Is there a database for this sort of thing?

Much appreciated
Elliot

[madpants]

There is no database that I know of but you could find out if there is a local cemeteries office for the area and ring them to see if she is buried in the area.  Our local one could also tell me that a G Aunt had been cremated.

[chirp]

I really don't have an answer for you but a thought has come into my head: if you know the address of where she died, maybe it would be possible to check local trade directories for undertakers. Though it's a long shot, it just may be that there are records in existence for the one who handled the funeral?  Maybe there was no funeral? Has a search been made in local cemeteries and graveyards? Good luck though I think this will be a very difficult one to pursue. If you do make any progress I should be very interested!
Chirp

[carol8353]

Have you read this by Valda http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,403485.0.html

It is a guide to burials in the London Area.

With London being so overcrowded,don't neccesarily expect to find her to be buried very near to where she died/lived.Of course cremations were becoming more and more popular by that time too.

Good luck

Carol

[Plummiegirl]

If she died in Westminster & her children were taken into foster care it is possible she is in a Public Grave with no memorial. 

You could contact the Westminster Coroners Office (it's also one of the the registrars office used by W. London) they may be able to advise you.   They may also be able to tell you if Westminster used any specific cemetary at that date for Public burials, from there you may be able to contact appropriate cemetary for confirmation.
 

[mrnolson]

Sorry for the late response but I've been waiting for her death certificate to arrive.

It says she died at the Queen Alexandra Military Hospital in Westminster.

Her death was certified by K. Southern M.B. (any idea what M.B. means?)

The informant for her death was an F. Sheridan who caused the body to be cremated.

As she was cremated, does that mean she just disappears? No body to bury. Did they both about plaques back then?


Kind regards
Elliot

[carol8353]

My dad died in 1970 we had him cremated in Ruislip Crem.
We asked that the ashes be scattered although we did have the option of them being buried with an engraved plaque.

You could also have a plaque put up on the wall of the Remembrance hall.
However we chose just to have his name put in the remembrance book.
Which some crems you can view online- Ruislip(Breakspear) has that facility and so does Kettering where I live now and where we had my mum cremated last year.

Carol

[madpants]

I had a caused the body to be buried on one of mine - this means they can find no next of kin so someone from the council takes on the responsibility.

[carol8353]

Not necessarily Madpants.
This is a great site to tell you  what's on a death cert

http://home.clara.net/dixons/Certificates/deaths.htm#COL9

In particular the paragraph that says " Note that someone whose qualification is "causing the burial or cremation....." is NOT the undertaker. This is the person who is giving the instructions to the undertaker - or in the past - was doing the funeral arrangements themselves. Note also that the executor of a will does not qualify to register unless they are the ones making the funeral arrangements."

Carol