Burial certificates

[mike175]

Any suggestions as to why someone in my family might have obtained copies of burial certificates?

They were obtained in 1887 for Robert Partridge and his wife Mary, buried 1840 and 1859 respectively, and were in a box of family papers, but nothing else in there seems to relate to them. The only family will that might have been relevant was Robert's brother many years earlier, pre-dating Robert's death.

Mike.

[Siamese Girl]

The only thing I could think of was an insurance claim - but it would have been a bit late for that 

Carole

[aghadowey]

Possibly a problem with grave plot? Have you tried finding out exactly who is buried in the plot especially if any were around the date you have? Another thought is that the family were erecting a headstone around 1887 and needed the details for it (some families don't seem to know when the relatives were buried and maybe they wanted to be sure of the dates).
Or maybe to do with someone else's estate- children having to provide proof of parents' deaths so they could inherit parents share for example.

[Josephine]

Or maybe someone was a family historian? 

 

(Sorry, couldn't resist.)

As aghadowey said, I suspect it has something to do with the cemetery plot.

Regards,
Josephine

[mike175]

Hi,

Thanks for your suggestions. I suppose it could have just been someone's curiosity, but there don't seem to be any other signs of a family historian . . . most of the other papers in the box are business stuff which is very useful as they show where people were living at certain dates, etc. . . . and when my 2nd gt.grandad was admitted to the asylum . . . 

As you say Carole, maybe a bit late for an insurance claim after 28 years, which seems to leave the burial plot/headstone theory, but I'm not aware of anyone else buried in that churchyard since the remaining family had moved away from the village.

One possibility has just occurred to me as I write. Their son re-appeared on the census in1891 as a widower, after a 40 year absence from the records (well, I can't find him anywhere!) . . . perhaps his wife was buried there. I think a churchyard visit is the next move . . .

Thanks again.

Mike.

[aghadowey]

If the burials are in a churchyard ask if they have a burial register and a sexton's notebook or any other details for the graveyard.

[apanderson]

Hi Mike,

I've only come across this type of thing once and I've attached a copy of what might be a similar version of the certificate you found.

This seems to have been, and to an extent still is, the practice of the Scottish Episcopal Church, but I'm not sure if was a general rule.

This particular Church has umpteen books containing numbered certificates and when a Plot/Lair was purchased in the Churchyard, one was filled out with all the details and a copy given to the purchaser. I presume when someone died, the family would produce this as proof of their ownership and presuming there was still room, the deceased person would be buried in that same Lair/Plot.

Hopefully you can see the details.

Anne

[celia]

Anne

Plot/Lair was purchased in the Churchyard, one was filled out with all the details and a copy given to the purchaser

That is correct it is in fact a Grave certificate not a burial certificate,and you do have to produce it as proof of ownership,before another burial can take place.That practice of course still holds today.I have grave ownership certificate paper from my mothers papers,it was bought by my grandfather for their baby son my mothers brother, who died in 1913 age 10 months. Every person who buys a grave plot be it churchyard or Council cemetery is given a grave certificate. For the burials themselves these are usualy found in book form or on film.

Celia

[mike175]

Hi,

Thanks again for all the contributions which are most enlightening.

I believe all the burial records are now held at the District Council offices, so I shall have to take a trip there soon, but I think I might try the churchyard first because there are many unanswered questions about that branch of the family. . . but not today in the rain 

Mike.