Author Topic: Rookwood  (Read 906 times)

Offline Jaznjjj

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Rookwood
« on: Friday 22 June 18 13:20 BST (UK) »
Visited Rookwood today and had two examples of two individuals (related but distant) being buried in the same grave.  One was an uncle and baby niece, one was a baby grandnephew and granduncle.  My question is whether the cost of an individual burial was such that it was better economy to double up.  Both second burials occurred in the 1920s.  The Uncle/Niece had the baby buried first, and vice-versa for the other one.   Thank you, J. 

Offline majm

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Re: Rookwood
« Reply #1 on: Saturday 23 June 18 02:54 BST (UK) »
Excellent question.   

I don't know the answer, but I can confirm burials for babies with older female relatives, not just in the 1920s but from back in penal times across all the decades until perhaps cremations became the more usual practice. 

I look forward to learning more.  May I ask for the denomination, or religion ...

ADD, mostly my NSW ancestors were CofE or Wesleyans ...  couple of Primitive Baptists ... most at Rookwood, some were re-interred from Devonshire St ... ::)

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Offline Jaznjjj

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Re: Rookwood
« Reply #2 on: Saturday 23 June 18 04:06 BST (UK) »
Those burials were both CofE (now Anglican) Sections T and H. 

Wanted to check out a grave in NN but that section looked incredibly overgrown and difficult to get to - plus ran out of time. 

I have a mixed bag at Rookwood, CofE, Wesleyan and Catholic.  Plus yesterday found our reinterment from Devonshire Street.  I am part of a group of distant cousins who meet once or twice a year and do interesting things in search of family history - yesterday was Rookwood! 

I am trying to figure out the story and I do find it quite reasonable that a family perhaps struggling financially might find it less costly to double-up rather than pay for a separate plot.  I don't imagine there would have been a lot of paperwork to do this and I would also hope that family members of the first "interee" would have agreed. 

I'll let you know what I find out.  Might make an enquiry direct to Rookwood.    J

Offline Westward

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Re: Rookwood
« Reply #3 on: Saturday 23 June 18 06:03 BST (UK) »
Where most of my ancestors are buried - NSW, Vic and Qld - (but not Rookwood) - there are often 2 people in each single width grave, often 2 adults. Presumably both a cost saving & a space saving.


Offline Jaznjjj

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Re: Rookwood
« Reply #4 on: Saturday 23 June 18 06:19 BST (UK) »
The slightly ghoulish part of me wonders at the process of stacked burials, particularly when you learn of instances of more than two burials in the same plot. 

Offline Billyblue

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Re: Rookwood
« Reply #5 on: Saturday 23 June 18 07:21 BST (UK) »
Back in the 1980s when I bought a plot in Mt Gravatt Lawn Cemetery [Brisbane] for my parents, the sexton marked the entry for the first grave (neither of them at that stage deceased) to be dug '3 deep' so they and I could all be in there together.   ::)
When I looked shocked, he said "You could walk out the gate today and get run over by a bus and be first in"   :P :P  :P

Dawn M
Denys (France); Rossier/Rousseau (Switzerland); Montgomery (Antrim, IRL & North Sydney NSW);  Finn (Co.Carlow, IRL & NSW); Wilson (Leicestershire & NSW); Blue (Sydney NSW); Fisher & Barrago & Harrington(all Tipperary, IRL)

Offline Jaznjjj

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Re: Rookwood
« Reply #6 on: Saturday 23 June 18 07:37 BST (UK) »
Smiling! 

I said yesterday, when crossing one of the roads within Rookwood, that I'd be really embarrassed to be run over and killed in a cemetery! 

Just checking, lawn cemetery means a place where ashes are buried or scattered?  I'm on a learning curve here.    J

Offline Westward

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Re: Rookwood
« Reply #7 on: Saturday 23 June 18 15:07 BST (UK) »
The slightly ghoulish part of me wonders at the process of stacked burials, particularly when you learn of instances of more than two burials in the same plot.

The grave is reopened for the second burial, then hopefully the slab cover is replaced and the headstone updated. The latter options haven't always happened - you will probably find some at rookwood where the graves look somewhat dilapidated.

Offline Westward

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Re: Rookwood
« Reply #8 on: Saturday 23 June 18 15:13 BST (UK) »
Smiling! 

Just checking, lawn cemetery means a place where ashes are buried or scattered?  I'm on a learning curve here.    J

A lawn cemetery is usually where the graves are completely covered with grass & a small headstone/plaque replaces the more ornate headstones in Monumental cemeteries.

This is the South Grafton Lawn Cemetery as an example
http://austcemindex.com/cemetery?cemid=466
And the older monumental cemetery in Grafton
http://austcemindex.com/cemetery?cemid=453

Some cemeteries contain both types of burials in different sections of the cemetery