Wm. Playfair burial in 1823?

[lanarman]

William Playfair (1759-1823) was my 4th Great Grandfather and the inventor of modern graphs and statistics. You can see much of his story via Google. He was also a bit of a scoundrel and died in poverty in Feb. 1823 in Covent Garden, probably at #43 Bedford Street, London. How do I go about finding which cemetery he was buried in? Can anyone offer suggestions or have access to resources that can solve my problem? Thank you.

[Valda]

Hi

In 1823 unless he was non-conformist it is far more likely he was buried in his local Anglican churchyard than a cemetery. The major civic cemeteries in London did not begin to be established until 1830s, mainly from the 1840s onwards. If he lived in Covent Garden then the most likely church would be St Paul's Covent Garden.
There would be other churches close by such as St Martin in the Fields

A map which also includes churches that were established after 1823

http://homepages.gold.ac.uk/genuki/MDX/Westminster/outline.htm

a list of the dates each church was established

http://homepages.gold.ac.uk/genuki/MDX/Westminster/churches.htm


These parishes are all in Westminster. Westminster Archives holds these registers. There is nothing online for burials (Westminster Archives is not part of the London digitalisation of parish registers between Ancestry and the London Metropolitan Archives and the Guildhall Library).

Westminster Archives

http://www.westminster.gov.uk/services/libraries/archives/


Regards

Valda

[lanarman]

Thanks Valda. Wm. Playfair's father was a Church of Scotland Minister back in Scotland but Wm.'s youngest daughter, Zenobia, was christened in 1795 at St.  James, Westminster. He had a grand daughter christened there, also, in 1818. Was there a burial ground at St. James? William's son John Playfair was married at St. Marylebone in 1819. And as you mention, St. Pauls Covent Garden is the closest parish church.
I will check out the links to the Westminster Archives that you provided and write them a letter. Its the only way to find out, for certain, where Willam Playfair is buried. Regards, Michael.

[Valda]

Hi


You can email Westminster Archives. There is a charge for their research service. All historic parish churches (the mother churches) had churchyards. Everyone who resided in the parish had the right to burial in the churchyard, though not all in consecrated ground (including all suicides by 1823).

http://www.burial.magic-nation.co.uk/bgstpaulscovent.htm
http://www.burial.magic-nation.co.uk/bgstjamespicc.htm


Regards

Valda

[lanarman]

Answer found:  Wm. Playfair died in St. George's Hospital and was buried in St. George Hanover Square on Feb. 14, 1823.

[SusanAdeliaSmit]

Thank you for providing the answer  as to where William was buried. Did you know that all the bodies were removed from St. George Hanover, cremated & re-buried in West Norwood cemetery? By chance do you know where his daughter Louise died and is buried. I read somewhere that she died in Paris but a lot of information from that source has proven incorrect.
Susan

[dawnsh]

Hi Susan

Welcome to Rootschat 

According to his profile, lanarman hasn't been online here since April earlier this year. He should receive email notifications that we have posted and hopefully come back soon.

Dawn

[lanarman]

Hi Susan:

Yes, I'm still around.  Interesting that they removed/cremated the bodies. I presume WP was one of these?

I have absolutely no information on Louisa but she must have died young as she is not mentioned in WP's 1823 "Obituary".  I have definite death dates for Andrew, John and Zenobia and an 1867 date for Elizabeth (my 3rd G Grandmother) but no source.

Are you (we) related?

Thanks

[SusanAdeliaSmit]

Yes. We are related. William was my 4great grandfather. William-Andrew William-Annette & cousin Little John- Andrew William(A.W. who went to Baldur)-Minnie who married James Cane-Bert Caine-then me. Susan Smith in Winnipeg. I agree Louise must have died fairly young but I have a picture of her and she looks to be in her 20s. I'm sure William would have been one who was cremated. Also think it is a shame that he doesn't have a blue plaque on his home in Bedford sq. They stopped doing them this year or I would have lobbied for one.
Susan