Author Topic: Portsmouth/Gosport Burial Records  (Read 3444 times)

Offline Matt1972

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Portsmouth/Gosport Burial Records
« on: Monday 28 August 17 01:03 BST (UK) »
Hi,

I'd be really grateful if anyone can offer assistance in tracking down the grave-site of my Grandparents. I tried looking through the records at Portsmouth Records Office on my last visit, but I couldn't find anything (albeit I was rushed for time) or perphaps they are buried in Gosport? My Grandparents both died during WWII within a few months of each other due to illness. All their immediate family was from Portsmouth but they were living in Gosport  (44 Hill Park Avenue) when they died. The death certificates show they were treated elsewhere in Hampshire (presumably due to the effects of war on Portsmouth), but I presume that they were buried in either Portsmouth/Gosport? The details are:

Dorothy Kathleen SIMPSON. Died 05-Jul-1941 at Royal Hampshire County Hospital, Winchester aged 33 years. A receipt shows that the undertaker was HS Osborne of Gosport.

Thomas Archibald SIMPSON. Died 02-Oct-1941 at Park Prewett Hospital, Basingstoke aged 39 years.

If anyone could find out where they are buried and if there is a gravestone inscription, I'd be really grateful.

Matt

Offline cemetery friends

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Re: Portsmouth/Gosport Burial Records
« Reply #1 on: Monday 28 August 17 08:10 BST (UK) »
A person responding to your request would need to search burial records in Gosport Borough Council and Portsmouth City as a starter. This involves paying a fee to each authority. It is just possible that the burials took place elsewhere so that could mean more fees. I suggest that you could contact the council bereavement services of Gosport then Portsmouth [paying the appropriate search fee] by e mail request to at least establish whether they are buried there then hopefully with a plot number you could then re-post here to ask somebody to visit. Your current request is not realistic as you cannot expect people to wander through large cemeteries [2 at least] on the chance of spotting a grave. Keep in mind of course that many families could not afford gravestones and if it was a 'public' grave paid out of a benefit grant there would be no name shown. Otherwise you could try contacting a Gosport undertaker to see if you could establish whether Osborne's merged with another firm - it is just possible old ledgers were retained [but expect to be charged a search fee]. In probability old records would now be scrapped.
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Offline Matt1972

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Re: Portsmouth/Gosport Burial Records
« Reply #2 on: Tuesday 29 August 17 20:21 BST (UK) »
Thanks for your reply. Portsmouth records office do not charge to view the burial records (although they will if you request them to do it on your behalf). They also have lists of gravestone inscriptions etc. I'm not expecting anyone to pay any fees or wander through graveyards on my behalf.

I see on this forum that there are multiple search requests and offers from those who are in the vicinity and willing to search up information if possible. I don't see that my request is much different from any of the others. If anyone is in a position to assist in manner, then that would be much appreciated. If not, or if say Gosport do charge search fees, then I'd have to take it up remotely with them (I only visit the Pompey area once every 1-2 years).

Cheers.

Offline cemetery friends

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Re: Portsmouth/Gosport Burial Records
« Reply #3 on: Wednesday 30 August 17 16:39 BST (UK) »
Good that the Portsmouth burial records are at the RO I agree there would be no charge unless you employed a researcher or the staff undertook a search. My original assumption was that somebody would have to visit bereavement services offices [Gosport / Portsmouth] where normally any search is performed by a staff member [and is charged a fee]. The point that I was making if asking for somebody to visit a cemetery to record or photograph a headstone it is fair practice to establish the actual burial ground and to give the plot number. In the circumstances mentioned you are not sure which cemetery and I think you need to establish the cemetery and plot number first.
Incidentally Park Prewett specialised in psychiatric cases normally but in WWII a unit to help [particularly servicemen] needing face rebuilds caused by fire or explosion was opened. It could be they took a Portsmouth patient perhaps unable to cope with loss suffering a psychiatric reaction?
Avery [Wembury]
Skilton [Hooe, Turnchapel, Plymstock and Coxside Plymouth]
Williams [Plymstock/Oreston]
Maritime subjects inc Titanic, HMS Hardy, HMS Thetis [submarine]
UK cemetery conservation
Cholera
Victorian social history


Offline rosie99

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Re: Portsmouth/Gosport Burial Records
« Reply #4 on: Thursday 31 August 17 12:25 BST (UK) »
Have you tried searching local papers for obituaries to see if they give any indication as to where they are buried
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Offline Matt1972

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Re: Portsmouth/Gosport Burial Records
« Reply #5 on: Friday 01 September 17 00:54 BST (UK) »
Thanks. Yes, establishing the correct cemetery and burial plot is my first step. I did a rushed search for Kingston and Milton cemeteries (I believe) last time I was at PRO and couldn't find anything. I also wondered if there were any online resources available that I'm not aware of, but I don't think there are. I assume the answers I need are either still at PRO or via Gosport Borough Council.

Interesting what you say about Park Prewett Hospital. I also get the same impression that it was not a normal place to send patients out of the City. I don't know a great deal about the whole story, but I believe that my Grandfather did suffer from understandable stress at the time (his death certificate states emphysema/ulcers), so it's entirely possible that there is some psychiatric reason as well. He was a skilled worker at HMS Dockyard.

I have checked the newspaper obituaries for both and neither states any funeral info.

Cheers.

Offline Matt1972

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Re: Portsmouth/Gosport Burial Records
« Reply #6 on: Thursday 05 April 18 22:50 BST (UK) »
Just to tie the thread up in case anyone is interested, I did enter into some correspondence with Gosport Borough Council and they helpfully discovered that they are both buried together at Ann's Hill Cemetery in Gosport. They were able to tell the rough location and plot number. I did visit there fairly recently and unfortunately there was no sign of any grave marker. There was a number of unmarked graves in the area. That was a little disappointing, but at least I know where they are. Cheers.

Offline rosie99

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Re: Portsmouth/Gosport Burial Records
« Reply #7 on: Friday 06 April 18 13:17 BST (UK) »
Thank you for the update.   Glad you were able to locate them.

Rosie
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