Phillips Park Cemetery, Manchester, UK - Graves of 10 people

[wattspamela31]

Does anybody know if in Phillips Park Cemetery in Manchester they have headstones on graves.  I have found my great great grandfathers and grandmothers graves there but they are in graves with 9 other people.  I am assuming these are paupers graves, would anybody out there know or know anything about what type of burial would have taken place on the day, it doesn't sound the best.  Thank you for any advice.

[*Sandra*]

Have you had a read on this link ?

http://www.foppc.com/

or this one :-

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/paupers-funerals-friends-in-deed-shining-1209840

an old thread on Philips cemetery

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=561274.0

http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/LAN/NewtonHeath/PhilipsPark.shtml




Sandra

[*Sandra*]

How to create a memorial at Find A Grave.


You could join Find A Grave (free) and create a memorial page for g.g.grandparents at Philips Park Cemetery and then request a photograph of headstone or the area the grave is in - its explained here -  How to submit a photo request.  Hope this helps.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=listFaqs#73

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=638759

Sandra

[dawnsh]

There is a lot of confusion surrounding the 'paupers grave' terminology.

They are most likely buried in a 'common grave' with several unrelated people.

Although the grave is not owned by the family, their funerals would have been paid for (coffin, service, flowers), just not including the full price of the burial plot.

Our ancestors would be horrified to think of being buried in a true 'paupers grave' (one where today the state pays for everything - usually a completely no-frills cremation), they would have scrimped and saved to get the money together for a decent funeral but the cost of the plot was and still can be out of the financial reach of many families even today.

Dawn

[stanmapstone]

Most people had some form of burial insurance with a Friendly Society/Insurance Co., to cover the expenses of the funeral.

Stan

[ThrelfallYorky]

It took me quite a while to work out why in 1860s - 1890s members of one line, who seemed all to be in gainful employment and probably would have shuddered at the very thought of being regarded as "paupers" would be in common graves, rather than family plots, but the explanation of slightly reducing costs whilst still having a perfectly respectable funeral seems reasonable. I'd noted that this means that it's usually no use seeking a headstone inscription in these cases, as that wouldn't be cost-practical with share occupancy.

[dawnsh]

Most cemetery authorities don't allow headstones on common graves.