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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Dorset => Topic started by: margmasson on Monday 11 September 17 23:48 BST (UK)

Title: Bell and Cloth
Post by: margmasson on Monday 11 September 17 23:48 BST (UK)

Browsing around in the Church Wardens accounts for Wimborne Minster, I noticed several entries for "Bell and Cloth". Can somebody tell me what this means, please?.

                               Marg.

Title: Re: Bell and Cloth
Post by: ShaunJ on Tuesday 12 September 17 14:20 BST (UK)

These are funeral items for which the church made a charge. The "cloth" was the black mortcloth, which could be hired from the parish to cover the coffin for the duration of a funeral service.  The "bell" was the church bell which tolled during the funeral.

Google "cloth and bell" or "mortcloth and bell".

Title: Re: Bell and Cloth
Post by: margmasson on Wednesday 13 September 17 05:51 BST (UK)

Thank you, ShaunJ, for taking the time to answer me. Do you know if the person named is the one who died or the one who paid the bill?

                                       Marg.

Title: Re: Bell and Cloth
Post by: ShaunJ on Wednesday 13 September 17 06:29 BST (UK)

Quote

Do you know if the person named is the one who died or the one who paid the bill?

That's hard to say without seeing the document in context. Usually it will be noted with the name of the deceased, sometimes with the name of the payer as well.

Title: Re: Bell and Cloth
Post by: margmasson on Friday 15 September 17 03:53 BST (UK)

Thank you again, ShaunJ.  I think this is my g g grandmother's older brother George Scott who died 1832, aged about 12 years. I am still trying to find her twin baby brothers who died Sept and October 1836.
                                 Marg