Finding a burial for a suicide

[groom]

What about the Register Scan - didn't that give any more details? When I purchased it for one of my relatives it gave

Applicant Name
Applicant Address
Death registration number, date and district
Funeral director

[Rattus]

I've seen varying degrees of information in burial registers, depending on location and era. In some of them, personal details of applicant have been masked on the basis that this person might still be living.

Curiosity got the better of me. In this particular case, the register entry is quite minimal. It does give the deceased's address and name of undertaker, but not much more apart from plot details (unconsecrated etc).

It might be worth contacting the undertakers to see whether they have records going back that far. Looks like they are still in business.

[Hempar]

Thanks Rattus been back on deceased online and although I had paid for burial scan for some reason I didnt see the image I have now

[Rattus]

Thanks Rattus been back on deceased online and although I had paid for burial scan for some reason I didnt see the image I have now

Great, glad to hear it. I note that the register entry has the correct surname, so 'Hennings' is purely a transcription error.

Looking at the burial register information to see if any conclusions can be drawn about who organised the burial, the only thing that strikes me is that some of the other entries show a description of 'Com' whereas the grave in question is '3rd class'. I wonder whether 'Com' means 'communal' - i.e. a council burial. Which would mean that this one wasn't.

Further evidence to support this theory is that there were no further contemporary burials in this plot, which is unusual for a communal plot. In fact, the second burial wasn't until 76 years later, which makes me think that the plot was selected for re-use after 75 years. The second burial surname seems to be completely unrelated.

Just speculation though. I'd try the undertaker next.

[groom]

Interesting information about 3rd class graves:

People paying for 1st and 2nd class areas for their burial were able to choose the specific plot they wanted. The 3rd class had no choice where they were allocated.

Also:

Third class funerals were reserved for pauper funerals; those buried at parish expense in the section of the cemetery designated for that parish

[Rattus]

I'm not sure this was standard practice, groom. I've never been able to discern a consistent pattern between varying areas / local authorities, just similarities and differences.

For example: "At Weaste Cemetery one could purchase vaults, first class, second class or third class graves, or if you couldn't afford to buy a grave, then you were interred in a common grave with 6 or 7 strangers."

http://www.weasteheritagetrail.co.uk/salford-people/rich-and-poor/index.htm

The plot used for the burial of Harriett Hemmings is designated as 3rd class, but 'unselected' (presumably referring to location of plot within the cemetery) but there are other 3rd class burials on the same page which are 'selected'.

In theory the cemetery management team should be able to advise. In practice, my experience elsewhere has been that even the most helpful staff can't clarify things that they don't understand themselves (e.g. procedure has changed over the years and the records don't explain properly).

[Hempar]

I'm guessing as death was suicide thar explains unconsecrated ground

[dawnsh]

Sorry I'm a bit late replying to this topic.

A 1933 burial would have been before the start of the welfare system in this country. So no applications to the Benefits Office as we know now it.

The family may have paid for her funeral (coffin, service etc) but not the expense of a private plot. Hence the 3rd class. Or the cost might have been paid by the parish or taken from personal finances.

Private burial plots in municipal cemeteries have always been considered expensive and out of financial reach of some families but that doesn't mean the deceased didn't have a decent funeral. The family would have scrimped and scraped the money together for that.

Today Kensal Green Cemetery (a privately run cemetery) charge either £11,000 or £15,000 depending on location for a new plot plus upto £1900 for digging the hole.

A non-resident of the LB Hammersmith & Fulham can expect to pay £17,000 to be buried at Fulham Palace Road.

You should be able to get all your information from the cemetery's office. Maybe the person you spoke to couldn't be as helpful as they should have been.

It is highly unlikely the funeral directors have the detail of information you seek after this length of time. Can you tell me the company name? The company may still exist but could have been taken over by a larger group.

Even now, my father raises invoices for a funeral to the family and it's the family's responsibilty to take the bill to the bank or benefits office if they don't have that sort of money. If the family are benefit savvy, they will know upfront what the state will pay for and what it won't and family is liable for the shortfall.