Goobang Cemetery

[Sixbysix]

Hi JM - thank you for such a detailed reply!
somewhere to start - Thank You!
cheers
david

[judb]

(You probably have this)
I note that there are two index entries for Henrietta's death in the NSW BMD index, with apparently mistranscribed surnames - same reg number for each of them.

5236/1877 HENRIETTA LEAH, 36 YEARS, DIED FORBES, registered PARKES
5236/1877 HENRIETTA LEEK, 36 YEARS, DIED FORBES, registered PARKES

Judith

[Sixbysix]

great work
thank you
I had one but not both
david

[jeanlit]

David,
At the time when Henrietta died, there were burials in both Goobang and Parkes cemeteries.   So do you know for sure that Henrietta Leck is buried in Goobang cemetery?  Do you have a death certificate, for instance.

A couple of comments :-

Registration commenced in Forbes in 1862, Grenfell 1871, Parkes 1874.
As you probably know, the place of registration (especially in the country) may or may not be either the place of death or place of burial.    For instance, the person may have died in Forbes where she was visiting relatives, but she lived in or near Parkes.  She may have been buried on a private property somewhere in the Parkes district.  Forbes and Parkes are about 35km apart and Goobang is further north-east of Parkes.

I’m fairly sure (someone on this list will be able to give more information) that in those days, the family was responsible for the registration of the death, rather than the clergyman or undertaker.   So, her death may have only been registered when next the family went to town.
 
JM’s suggestion about finding the Burial Register is a good idea, but I feel after 140 years, such a record may no longer exist – however,  desperate times call for desperate actions so Good Luck.

Many country cemeteries had only wooden crosses to mark the grave because of the distance from where there were stonemasons and also the cost involved.  Bush fires were a danger, and there were many instances where bush cemeteries lost all the markers.

Henry Leck appears to have been a miner, based on where he was mentioned – coming up to NSW from Victoria in about 1862 (just when the goldrush was on at Forbes),  two children born at Grenfell, but registered at Forbes in 1867 / 68 (gold rush at Grenfell) and one in 1873 at Gulgong (again in gold rush).  Of course he may have been following as a supplier of services for the miners rather than a miner himself.

Unfortunately, I cannot answer your questions, but I hope all this gives you food for thought.
Jean.

[judb]

David - Henrietta's death certificate should tell you where she is buried.

A transcription from an accredited agent is quicker and cheaper than going through NSW BMDs.  There are three accredited agents listed here:
https://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au/Pages/family-history-research/family-history-search.aspxagents

Their websites give costs, usually around $20.

I would mention to the agent that there are the two 2 index entries, neither of which use the spelling you have for Henrietta's surname.

Jeanlit has mentioned some the dates for  commencement of registration in the nearby towns - interesting that the index entries say she died in Forbes but was the death was registered in Parkes although registration was available in Forbes.  However, there's plenty of possible reasons for this happening. As Jeanlit says it's always worth remembering that the place of death and place of registration may be quite different, although in this case the place of death is mentioned in the index.  I saw one once where the person had died in Sydney but the death was registered in Cooma.

Judith

[majm]

Yes, Jean is spot on ...  the rules and regulations for BDM registering can be best summed up as 'flexible' until just after WWI when pro forma printed forms became the norm.   We need to remember that even the clerical staff in rural settings for BDM registrations were often part timers covering not just BDM but also Land Titles Office matters, and Clerk of Petty Sessions admin, and the Sheriff's paperwork, and sometimes even the key holder for the local lock ups, and the cook for those on remand etc... 

https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=660501.0 includes the following :
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/12977223  from 1856.   Gradually that process changed so that the burial order triggered the undertaker who then formally processed the paperwork.   

The NSW BDM registration for the death will provide the names of the informant (as in the section for the family history info about the deceased) and the names of the medico (as in the section confirming the cause/s of death) and the burial (as in the undertaker).   If there was an Inquest, the name of the coroner and date and outcome of that inquest will appear instead of the medico, as afterall, if the medico cannot confirm the cause of death, the medico does not sign off, and the police become involved and in that era they then report to the Police Magistrate who determines how to proceed including proceeding to an Inquest.   

Red Post,  yes,  Judith is spot on too...
Official Transcription is the best option, quote the reference number and mention variations in spelling on the BDM index. 

The index was not actually prepared until the 1930s, so the volunteers handling that task were faced with quite a number of obstacles, ... lighting, thumbed pages, ink bleeds, etc.  and worse... scribble long hand scripts...
 
 
JM