Bath Burial

[MUMMYG]

That may sound vague but I have no clue about the area sorry

I am looking for a burial place for Phoebe ALLEN born 1826 Prescot Lancashire died 18 Oct 1910 baptised Presbyterian
The BMD says registered in  sub district  Walcot First Series
I also have a will that says she lived at Alfred Street Bath

I came across a burial for James ALLEN also  31 October 1808 at Bath Abbey Cemetery, a private grave OPD whatever that means. Phoebe had a brother James born 1819 and he is probably the last remaining family member she had, if these 2 could be linked I would be chuffed.

Thank you and sorry can't be more specific

[DRH123]

The "opd." is short for "opened". It means (I think) that an existing grave was opened for an additional occupant, rather than a new grave started. If that was Phoebe's brother, then  it would seem quite likely that it could have been opened again for her. Unfortunately, the transcription of the Abbey Cemetery records currently used in FreeREG finishes in 1908. James is actually the last entry. The cemetery remained in use, we just haven't got copies of the later records.

However, the James Allen who died in Bath in the last quarter of 1908 was recorded as 70 years old. If Phoebe's brother was born in 1819 he'd have been 89, so it is unlikely that this is the same James.

Alfred Street was in the Walcot district of the city. I'm not sure which parish, but certainly not the Abbey parish. So Phoebe would not have been automatically eligible for the Abbey Cemetery. She may still have been buried there if she was a regular at the Abbey church, but if she was a Presbyterian that would seem unlikely.

Well before 1910 all of the central Bath parishes had closed their original graveyards and were using new cemeteries on the edge of the city, usually with sections for non-conformist residents as well as Anglican parishioners. FreeREG does not have the records of most of these cemeteries. However, Bath RO does have an index covering a large proportion. See

http://www.batharchives.co.uk/burial-indexes

If you phone or e-mail them I expect they would look up Phoebe for you.

David

[MUMMYG]

David
Thank you so much for your excellent synopsis. I'm sure I'll have more luck finding her resting place from your instructions.

I have since read that the cemetery where James Allen rests was closed before his death and therefore OPD must mean they opened an existing grave for him as no new graves were allowed. But  I don't have to worry about that because you are correct, he can't possibly be the right person.

Best regards
Gill

[DRH123]

There seems to be some confusion on when the cemetery was closed. One online source says 1855, another that it is still in use! I don't know the right date but it was 1908 at the earliest. The record before James Allen's is for a new grave only three days earlier. Although FreeREG only has records from 1873-1908 the register they were copied from is said to continue to 1931.

David

[MUMMYG]

Ah I see, but maybe you are correct and I have the wrong end of the stick. I would imagine the records would carry on though even if the ground was closed to new graves, the family graves would continue to receive until they were full.

I sent an email asking for a look up, fingers crossed Ill be lucky 

[MUMMYG]

Had a reply from Bath Archives who very kindly found  Phoebe for me. If anyone  else is looking she is at the Walcot section of Locksbrook Cemetery Bath in the family grave, no memorial inscription known of.
Again thanks for the help David