Query with Church Memorial Plaques and Burials.

[Les de B]

If a person has a memorial plaque within a church, is that where that person is normally buried? My 3 x grandparents have a memorial plaque on the south wall of the porch of Ripple Church, Deal, Kent, but I am having trouble finding where their remains are? I've been in contact with the church, but they can find no burial records for them. The plaque indicates it was erected by 8 of their surviving children as of 1841, for both parents.

1) Stephen WATTS d.20/1/1810 (suicide) in London. Burial records indicate he was buried in the vault area of  St.Olaves, London, 24/1/1810.  However, inquiries with the church indicate that area was filled in with rubble in the mid 1850's as cyrpts were banned by statute(?). Could he have been exhumed prior to vault area being filled in?

2) Sarah WATTS d.1/4/1841, Deal, Kent. Ripple Church has no burial record of her, however, another researcher theorises she may have been exhumed from another grave and reburied in Ripple Church when the church was restored in 1860's.

There is also a memorial within Ripple Church for Charlotte WATTS d.1826, daughter of Stephen and Sarah. Church burial records indicate she is buried at Ripple Church.

Open to suggestions and more theories.......................

Les 
 

[stanmapstone]

However, inquiries with the church indicate that area was filled in with rubble in the mid 1850's as cyrpts were banned by statute(?)
Les

Probably the Metropolitan Burial Act 1852, http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/15-16/85/enacted

Stan

[Les de B]

Thanks for that bit of information Stan. Its amazing what people can find!

Also, thanks to Allibaker to replied by PM, having found the burial of Sarah WATTS (correct age) at St.Leonards, Deal, on 10/4/1841.

So that being the case, if both ancestors are buried at 2 different churches, why would their memorial plaque be placed in a third church. Either, they have been reburied there, or the plaque is what it is - just a memorial to both of them?

Les

[Billyblue]

I would take it that a memorial plaque is just that, a memorial.  Especially if it is inside the church.
At least until you can find where they are actually buried.

Any plaques I have seen in churches (UK & Oz) have usually been because they had some special 'relationship' with that church, e.g. vicars, priests, etc., OR maybe they were benefactors, OR maybe just good upstanding and outstanding citizens and members of that religion.  They don't necessarily indicate that the person/s are buried in the church grounds, sprinkled on the roses, etc.

Dawn M
PS  These are my personal thoughts and maybe I'm not correct, or maybe I am

[GrahamSimons]

I would take it that a memorial plaque is just that, a memorial.  Especially if it is inside the church.
At least until you can find where they are actually buried.

Any plaques I have seen in churches (UK & Oz) have usually been because they had some special 'relationship' with that church, e.g. vicars, priests, etc., OR maybe they were benefactors, OR maybe just good upstanding and outstanding citizens and members of that religion.  They don't necessarily indicate that the person/s are buried in the church grounds, sprinkled on the roses, etc.

Dawn M
PS  These are my personal thoughts and maybe I'm not correct, or maybe I am

Exactly right in my experience. There would be some link with the church - in some cases the family church but the people memorialised had died in other countries where they had settled or where they were serving in one capacity or another.

[Les de B]

Thanks Dawn and Graham. As both ancestors have been confirmed being buried in two other different churches (and there is nothing to suggest they have been exhumed), I guess the memorial plaque is just what it is described as a "memorial".

Unless evidence(?) to the contrary appears in my research, I suppose that's the way it will have to stay.

Les

[kevinf2349]

I am a little surprised that Stephen was permitted to be buried in a church yard (even more surprised that they would be interred actually inside the church) due to the manner of death.

I was always under the impression that back in those days suicides (and criminals) were not allowed to be buried in consecrated ground? 

Best regards
Kevin

[Les de B]

I am a little surprised that Stephen was permitted to be buried in a church yard (even more surprised that they would be interred actually inside the church) due to the manner of death.

I was always under the impression that back in those days suicides (and criminals) were not allowed to be buried in consecrated ground? 

Yes, Kevin, I had heard of that too, however, the Inquest verdict was given as "Lunacy". From another site I recently read, "Lunacy" covers that stigma due to it being something the person could not control at the time of death therefore a burial was permitted. Good as any theory I suppose?

Les

[stanmapstone]

An 1823 statute legalized the burial of suicides in consecrated ground, but religious services were not permitted until 1882. For a period following abolition, however, suicides could only be buried in graveyards between 9pm and midnight, and no ceremonies were allowed.

Stan