Burial of Robert CHAPMAN in 1897

[Nick_Ips]

Thanks claouha. There would be two likely candidates if Robert died elsewhere (but not living/staying with family). The first is Smallburgh Workhouse, the second might be Thorpe Asylum. Both had their own burial grounds. But as the death registration is Smallburgh, and as Jonw points out the sub-district looks like Ludham, it eliminates Thorpe Asylum and probably Smallburgh workhouse too.

So it is likely he either died in Hickling, or with family in a nearby parish, either of which you would normally expect to lead to a burial at Hickling.

It is strange.

[Nick_Ips]

Thanks Dawn. Smallburgh had a small burial ground at the rear, although I'm not sure it was still in use that late. I think have also seen burial records for Smallburgh church saying they were from the workhouse.

http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Smallburgh/

He had a very large family, so I'd guess the risk of his body being unclaimed if he did die in the workhouse would have been very low. It would be a slight exaggeration to say he was related to everybody else living in Hickling, but only a slight one 

[Nick_Ips]

I've just checked the Smallburgh church burial records:

Abode = Smallburgh Union
Alderton 1900
Howard 1902
Taylor 1904

Abode = Workhouse
Colman 1906
Whall(?) 1907

Nothing obvious prior to 1900, so maybe this is around the time the workhouse burial ground closed?

Fairly sure Robert didn't die or was buried there anyway. Even if he did die at the workhouse with no family to help I suspect the vicar at Hickling would still have made 'arrangements' for this long-standing resident to come home for burial.

Edited: Corrected typo in Whall(?)'s burial year.

[clalouha]

Found him!!
I went and had a look at the Waxham Deanery Monthly Magazine on the Hickling village history website and if you do control F to highlight all the Chapmans you get this on page 57 (of 355)
 "I omitted  inadvertently  some  time  ago  to  record  the   death  of  Robert  Chapman,  who  was  one  of  the  Fathers  of  the Parish.  He  died  at  an  advanced  age  after  a  life  of hard  and  continuous  work,  and  his  familiar  figure  cannot  fail  to  be missed amongst us. His grandson, John Chapman, who lived for many years in this parish, has since died at Yarmouth at an early age, leaving a widow and family to mourn his loss. Much sympathy is felt for them in their  bereavement."
So Mr Arthur A. T. Crosse, Vicar, was not quite as diligent as we thought there is no burial record because Mr Crosse forgot!!

[Nick_Ips]

That's funny, I'd found the same entry about 10 mins ago and was switching on my steam-driven family history PC to check the details of the grandson John Chapman to confirm this is the same Robert. Thank you clalouha 

However, I'm not sure that is entirely the answer - I think the Revd Crosse was saying he had omitted to record the death in the magazine (as was his habit), as opposed to recording Robert's burial in the register.

I checked the burial register into 1898 when the magazine entry was made, but there is nothing recorded. I assume that if accidently omitted from the burial register at the time of burial then the appropriate thing would have been for it to be added in the next available space in the register - unless vicars were prohibited from making retrospective entries?

What it does show is Robert was a much valued member of the community, which kind of supports my guess that Revd Crosse would have made arrangements for Robert to come home if he died a pauper elsewhere.

Frustrating that he doesn't mention anything about the burial!

[Nick_Ips]

John Chapman the grandson was buried 30-03-1989 at Great Yarmouth. He was a son of Robert's son James Chapman born 1837.

The only Yarmouth burial in 1897 on FreeReg is Charles aged 46 - so another place where Robert wasn't buried 

[clalouha]

Funnily enough my PC's connection dropped out just as I was about to send and had to reboot!
I know it's not quite the full answer and we can't know what he means by some time ago, annoyingly he didn't then write buried in this parish!