Burial - Ware Congregational

[linmey]

Hello Diana,
                   Hope you are well. When I looked into this for Anna we came to the conclusion that there is a church in use on the site of the church that her family would have used. There is more on this subject earlier in this thread. That is of course if we are talking about the same chapel in Dead Lane that Anna was talking about. You didnt mention in your post if it was the same chapel because one thing I noticed the other day when driving down there was that there were several other chapels in that road, some still in use and some converted into houses. By the sound of your description it may be one of these because you say its no longer in use.
     Look forward to hearing from you.  Regards  Linda.
         

[Lady Di]

Hi Linda,

The Chapel that I (believe) I am referring to was called :
Independant Chapel - Old Meeting Dead Lane, Ware

This was classified as the Congrational church - or am I totally confused? 
Someone sent me a photo and I have rechecked and the windows appear to be boarded up.
I will try and attach a copy of the photo but it will be a copy of a copy or a copy - it may not be the best copy ever done.

I hope we are talking about the same place.

Regards
Di

[behindthefrogs]

There are a number of unanswered issues still in this thread.

1) Burial in the parish churchyard was the right of anyone belonging to the parish, and still is if there is no local public cemetery.

2) All baptisms at this time had to be included in the parish register (so that the government could have the fee to pay for the war in France. Where have we heard that one?).  This doesn't seem to have applied to burials.  This also established residence in the parish which had a lot of legal implications

3) There would be no case for people from other churches being buried in unconsecrated land.  This was reserved for suicides and a few similar cases.

4) However independent churches did have their own graveyards, usually in those days in the churchyard.  Other than possibly for paupers which the parish had to bury for free there was no compulsion to use the parish churchyard.

In some places these churches got together and bought and consecrated a common non-conformist graveyard. Usually  the local Methodists joined in this purchase.

5) Independent chapels were self governing and still are.
Some of them decided to join the Congregational or the Baptist Union.  These were totally democratic and while they handled items of common interest such as training new ministers the choice was always back with the individual church and its membership.  An example of this is when the Congregational Union decided to merge with the Presbyterians in the 1970s, individual churches decided not to become part of the new United Reform Church

David

[Lady Di]

Hi David,

Thank you for all that information.

I am still unsure if we are all talking about the same church.
It would be great to find my ancestors grave site but I am use to looking in many places, so maybe my search continues.

Much appreciated
Regards
Di

[behindthefrogs]

A number of hopefully helpful points this time

1)  Burials in non-conformist churchyards were allowed by "The Toleration Act of 1689"

2)  From 1813 all burials had to be recorded in a register, the NBI was probably transcribed from that by the local family history society.  They may also have done a survey of any MIs  particularly if the graveyard has been destroyed.

3) If you contact the Leaside Church they should rapidly be able get rid of any doubts you may have about which was the Congregational Church and what happened to any graveyard

[Lady Di]

Hi David,

It is great to know that a burial after 1813 will be recorded in a register "somewhere".

I tried emailing the Leaside Church some time ago but their email address was incorrect on Wareonline web site.

I will re check and try again.

Many thanks for all the information and guidance

Regards
Di

[linmey]

Hi David and Diana,
                                   If you look earlier in this thread Keith suggested a site which has a picture of the church you mention as it is today(Leaside). It looks like the one in the photo you posted Diana so hopefully its the right one. As I mentioned in a previous post its always possible thr burial was in St Marys churchyard which is nearby. I dont know if anna got any further in tracing where her family were buried.
                 Best wishes.

[Ann12]

Hi all,

Sorry not to have replied earlier to everyones emails, I started a new job and my hubby has been sent to Afghanistan for 4 months - leaving me with the kids!!  No chance of me visiting the UK in the next 4 months

Anyway, if I understand it correctly Dead Lane is now called Church Street.  I wonder if any Josolynes are lying under someones daffs

Anna.

[linmey]

Bit early for daffs Ann, but you never know. Its getting to be a popular church with RootsChatters. You are right, it is now called Church Street.