Author Topic: Annie Rosa Elizabeth Lewis  (Read 859 times)

Offline eileenb

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Annie Rosa Elizabeth Lewis
« on: Saturday 12 November 16 12:31 GMT (UK) »
Great Grandmother died 21 November and was buried 25 November 1918 in Thatcham Cemetery.  Causes of death on the certificate are 1. Influenza and 2. Bronchial pneumonia.

A few days earlier, her daughter Edith had died aged 29 (quite possibly of the same symptoms) and was buried in the same cemetery 18th November. I do not have the certificate.

According to the Berkshire Burial Index at Find My Past, they were both buried in un-consecrated ground.  Has anyone any idea why?  My only guess is that, due to the influenza epidemic and the number of deaths, the authorities needed to extend the cemetery quickly and the area had not yet been consecrated.  Having said that, surely consecration could have been done quickly?

Any help would be very much appreciated.
Sorry - just spotted the other posts on the same subject - again for Thatcham.  One poster was hoping to find the answer from Thatcham Historical Society but I haven't yet been able to trace if it has been posted or not.  As far as I am aware all evidence points to Annie and family being C of E.


Hampshire -  Lewis & Mitchell & Hutchins
Lancs - Tattersall & Dillon
Wilts - Vockins, Chapman, Alexander
Fairground Travellers - Dillon Family

Offline ciderdrinker

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Re: Annie Rosa Elizabeth Lewis
« Reply #1 on: Saturday 12 November 16 13:01 GMT (UK) »
Hello
I think there's two possible reasons for this.
One is the reason you've outlined and the other I'm afraid to say was that it was usually cheaper to have a grave in unconsecrated ground.

It would  have been quite a shook for them both to be ill and it's possible that whoever arranged their funerals also had other family members who were ill and was obviously concerned more with them than those who had already died.A Doctor costs money.Popping into the undertakes worried and possibly very tired after nursing them perhaps they went for the first quote and didn't ask for details.Check whether consecrated or unconsecrated etc.At times of a pandemic like that one  no one would have wanted a a big ceremony with the possibility of further contagion.

Ciderdrinker

Offline eileenb

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Re: Annie Rosa Elizabeth Lewis
« Reply #2 on: Saturday 12 November 16 13:09 GMT (UK) »
Well I never realised that but it certainly makes sense.  Thank you so much ciderdrinker. 
Hampshire -  Lewis & Mitchell & Hutchins
Lancs - Tattersall & Dillon
Wilts - Vockins, Chapman, Alexander
Fairground Travellers - Dillon Family

Offline KGarrad

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Re: Annie Rosa Elizabeth Lewis
« Reply #3 on: Saturday 12 November 16 13:34 GMT (UK) »
Another possible answer is that consecrated ground in churchyards were for Anglican burials.
Non-conformists had to buried in unconsecrated ground.
Garrad (Suffolk, Essex, Somerset), Crocker (Somerset), Vanstone (Devon, Jersey), Sims (Wiltshire), Bridger (Kent)


Offline eileenb

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Re: Annie Rosa Elizabeth Lewis
« Reply #4 on: Saturday 12 November 16 14:00 GMT (UK) »
Thank you too for that.  As far as I was aware they were C of E but it is certainly something I will need to look at again.
Hampshire -  Lewis & Mitchell & Hutchins
Lancs - Tattersall & Dillon
Wilts - Vockins, Chapman, Alexander
Fairground Travellers - Dillon Family

Offline *Sandra*

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Re: Annie Rosa Elizabeth Lewis
« Reply #5 on: Saturday 12 November 16 14:41 GMT (UK) »
Although they were buried in unconsecrated ground, the Minister taking the funeral service may have blessed the ground at the time of interment.

Sandra
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Offline eileenb

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Re: Annie Rosa Elizabeth Lewis
« Reply #6 on: Sunday 13 November 16 09:00 GMT (UK) »
Thank you Sandra.  Something else I didn't know. \I wonder if the family would have had to pay for that.
Hampshire -  Lewis & Mitchell & Hutchins
Lancs - Tattersall & Dillon
Wilts - Vockins, Chapman, Alexander
Fairground Travellers - Dillon Family

Offline newburychap

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Re: Annie Rosa Elizabeth Lewis
« Reply #7 on: Sunday 13 November 16 09:42 GMT (UK) »
There is no difference in price between consecrated and unconsecrated burial - it's purely a religious divide. Though I guess there may have been a price difference between what ministers of the various sects charged to officiate.

In most cases it means the burial was nonconformist - the registers show which minister officiated, which will show for sure if you can trace the minister to the church/chapel he was from. 

However, it is not unknown for chunks of an 'unconsecrated' section in a cemetery to be consecrated - if the consecrated section is filled before the unconsecrated. There's a classic example of this in a Newbury - where a C of E clergyman is buried in the 'unconsecrated' half of the cemetery.
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Offline eileenb

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Re: Annie Rosa Elizabeth Lewis
« Reply #8 on: Sunday 13 November 16 19:17 GMT (UK) »

Thank you Newbury Chap.  That's another one for the pot!
Hampshire -  Lewis & Mitchell & Hutchins
Lancs - Tattersall & Dillon
Wilts - Vockins, Chapman, Alexander
Fairground Travellers - Dillon Family