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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Shropshire => Topic started by: signalman on Tuesday 21 March 06 15:40 GMT (UK)
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Hi Everyone , this may sound a bit gruesome and offputting to some people , but im my family we had a couple of stillborn s around the 1840s and 50s ,but what did they do with them were they given a christian burial or what Signalman
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Hi Signalman,
I'm sure others here will know more than me, but my understanding (I'm not sure from where!) is that a portion of the churchyard - I think on the north side - would be unconsecrated and used for the burial of stillborns, unbaptised babies and various other categories of burials. It was illegal for the burial service from the Book of Common Prayer to be read over the coffin of an unbaptised person until, I think, the 1880s.
HTH
Anna
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Thank you Anna
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Stillbirths were not regstered until 1927.
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Thanks E.B .N
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I discovered, while doing some research, that stillborn babies were often put into the coffins of adults that had died around the same time. How widespread this practice was I don't know. Perhaps not so gruesome as first seems.
Chris
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HI FISHERMAN ,thanks for that info, pehaps as you say not so gruesome and a nice touch and thought by someone , Signalman
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My mothers first born died minutes after birth, I've found no record of the baby in B.M.D.I've now gone to the G.R,O. to find if it was Registered as still born,I know this shouldn't be but hopefully I might find something from them. One thing I do Know is that the baby (a boy) was buried with another person and this happened in the early 1950's Does it still go on to-day. I've not heard of any in my life time bar of course my brother.
Black Night.
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My mothers first born died minutes after birth, I've found no record of the baby in B.M.D.I've now gone to the G.R,O. to find if it was Registered as still born,I know this shouldn't be but hopefully I might find something from them. One thing I do Know is that the baby (a boy) was buried with another person and this happened in the early 1950's Does it still go on to-day. I've not heard of any in my life time bar of course my brother.
Black Night.
Hi, Did you get any success in GRO? My wife was a twin in 1936, her brother was stillborn. Like you no trace in BMDs. Interested in result.
Thanks,
Bob
My mothers first born died minutes after birth, I've found no record of the baby in B.M.D.I've now gone to the G.R,O. to find if it was Registered as still born,I know this shouldn't be but hopefully I might find something from them. One thing I do Know is that the baby (a boy) was buried with another person and this happened in the early 1950's Does it still go on to-day. I've not heard of any in my life time bar of course my brother.
Black Night.
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I discovered, while doing some research, that stillborn babies were often put into the coffins of adults that had died around the same time. How widespread this practice was I don't know. Perhaps not so gruesome as first seems.
Chris
This is exactly what happened to my sister back in 1959.
Steve
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I know this is an old post ... but I wonder if anybody found out anything about the records of stillborns !
Annie :-\
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Hi Annie..don't know about anyone else but apparently because my sister only lived for about 20 mins,they never registered the death for what reason i don't know..so for that reason alone i'd like to find out as well..there must be some kind of records kept,but my mother has had no joy in finding any even after chatting to her doctor :(
Steve
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Thanks Steve !
It's just that I've been all through the births and the deaths ..... and she's not there !
It's in the family bible so I think (?)I know the date !! and it just says "Our Darling Baby Girl "
unless they named her .... in which case - I went through all the births with maiden names - nothing .... but I just wouldn't know for deaths !!
So I'll probably never know !
Annie :-\
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Hi Annie,
My own daughter was stillborn in 1976, she is not in the GRO birth or death registers, although stillbirths have to be registered there are no actual indexes for them, certificates can be obtained for stillbirths but only by the mother or father or siblings if the parents are deceased…..except you need to know the details?
From an old Practical Family History magazine I have, it says prior to 1874 no regulations existed regarding stillbirths; after 1874 it was necessary to obtain a certificate before the baby could be buried, it was done to prevent children who were born alive and who died shortly after birth being buried as a stillborn to prevent the parents avoiding the fees for a birth certificate and the death certificate.
In 1926 another act was made; after July 1st 1927 stillbirths had to be registered.
Probably the only way to have a chance of finding your lost babies is via burial records.
Sheila.
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Thank you for that Sheila ... and I'm so sorry it happened to you and your family !
I don't think she was buried .... there was a family story she was kept at the hospital .... how true that is I don't know !
The story has always touched my heart ... it was such a poignant entry in the bible !
Annie :)
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Stillbirth and registration is dependant upon the length of gestation also.
My son Geoffrey was stillborn in 1985 at 27 weeks and at that stage 28 wks was the legal viable minimum and so he was not registered. Now, i think it is 22 weeks?
This may help someone also http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070521172514AA3Zhun
Cheers
Sarndra
www.sarndra.com
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There have been other discussions about stillbirths, which may be useful:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,11543.0.html
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,235198.0.html
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,241899.0.html
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,161334.0.html
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My twin son was stillborn in 1965. He was registered at the time. If you go to the Registrars Office, they do keep a record of stillbirths but only the next of kin can have a copy. These records are not in the public domain but are available to the next of kin.
My son was buried in his own coffin at the foot of someone else who was being buried. If you look into the cemetery records, these are recorded.
If you know the date of the birth/death, it is possible to find both registeration certificate and the burial place.
Best wishes,
Our Kid
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HI ALL, With reply to everyone about Stillborns, I recently had a conversation with an undertaker of many years standing ,and I asked about this subject and what he told me didnt exactly shock me but more of sympathy for the poor families that it happened to. What normally happened was a member of the household usually a child would go to the cemetary with the mite in a shoebox or something similar and ask the gravedigger to bury the mite and it would be put into a grave already prepared for someone after the buriel of that person .This often happened to the rich as well as the poor but more often to the poor and if there wasnt a buriel soon to bwe taking place it would be put into a chapel of rest until the day . Sad isnt it
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I had a stillborn baby in 1965. He was registered with the local registrar and I was given a certificate.
If you go to the Registrars Office closest to the hospital, give them the date, parents names, etc., if you are a sibling, you should be able to get a certificate.
My baby was registered and the hospital said they would see to his body but we insisted that he was buried so he went in with someone else. His coffin was placed in the grave at the foot of the lady he went in with. We did have to pay the undertaker.
Sometimes the hospital use the babies for research but there should be some record. It is worth checking with the hospital.
Best wishes,
Pauline
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I may be reapesting things here:~
some infants were placed with other deceased people no relation unless of course there happend to be a dead relation around at the time, to give thema safe journey.
Stillbirths were registerd within 42 days and no later that three months at the hospital or district register office. certified copies of registartions of stillbirths from 1 July 1927 can be issued only to parents with the Registrar Genreals permission or if they are both dead to the siblings ofa stillborn child. There are no indexes available to the public so you will ned to write or phone the General register Office for an application form. You will need to provide proof fo your relationship to the child and deaths of your parents if appropriate.
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The only way I discovered two stillbirths was via a local authority website of burial records.
They had never been spoken about in the family. Too painful I guess.
:-[
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My sister had a stillborn (full term) baby girl in August 1976. She was asked if she wanted to see her, but was too upset at the time, and later regretted that decision. She was told the hospital would "take care of things", and she never ever knew what happened to that childs body.Now, that childs older sister, my niece, would like to find out. Anyone have any idea who to ask? The hosital where the birth took place has been demolished.
Cavvytri
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Try the Registrars Office nearest the hospital. As this baby was full term they would have to have registered the child.
There will be a certificate for it and a sibling can get the certificate.
Pauline
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Thanks Pauline, I will tell my niece.
Cavvytri
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There will be a certificate for it and a sibling can get the certificate.
Not unless the parents are dead. I have already tried to get a cert for my full term stillborn sister, but as my parents are alive it's not possible :(
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Both my sister and her husband have passed away, so my niece should be ok to get the certificate in that case.
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There will be a certificate for it and a sibling can get the certificate.
Not unless the parents are dead. I have already tried to get a cert for my full term stillborn sister, but as my parents are alive it's not possible :(
unless of course the parents apply
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unless of course the parents apply
That's where my problem is............my parents do not mention their stillborn daughter, in fact I was only told about her when I was 20. I'm 40 now and she has never been mentioned since.
I can't ask to see any of their paperwork - I dare not :'( Sad really :'(
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Just thought that I would add something on here that may help other researchers with stillborns. I know it is a touchy subject with older parents. I have also had a stillbirth, so I know what it is like talking about it. Anyway, my mum had lost stillborn twins in 1962, they were taken away from her and she did not know where they were buried. Here is what I did. I telephoned the New Womens Hospital here in Liverpool as the old Liverpool maternity closed. They were very helpfull. As they didn't know what really happened back then, they told me to phone a local undertakers and asked where stillborns would of been buried at that time. After having no luck with them, I telephoned Liverpool City Council and they did a search. They informed me that they where buried in Toxteth Cemetery and gave me the plot number. Sadly, my mum had passed away by this time, so wasn't here when I went to pay my respects. The procedure was that if the hospital buried the infant, they went into a paupers grave, so another eleven babies are in the same plot. Very sad, but I get comfort knowing that they are not alone. Lynn
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Thank you for sharing that. It is possible to find these babies. You can apply for their 'birth certificate' as you will be their next of kin.
Best wishes,
Pauline
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Hi every one, just a quick note to say: Keep trying... In my earlier Thread I mentioned my stillborn brother, I now have his birth? Stillborn cert, and found out where he is buried, I have visited the plot at Chingford Mount Cemetery in North London. My quest is now over, Apart from the fact that his plot is an overgrown mess, Sadly at this moment in time I'm unable to do anything, but with a little help from the family I'm hoping, maybe, to have some little plaque laid there for him. So everybody don't give up hope. Black Night.