Details of Pauper Graves in Acton St Mary Churchyard

[cherylg]

Hi

Can anybody tell me where you can details of Pauper Graves in Acton St Mary Churchyard?

I know from the Burial Records that both my Gt Gt Grandparents John and Ruth Spencer and also
my Gt Grandparents Edwin and Elizabeth Spencer are buried in the Cementary.

After spending hours searching the Graves Stones in Cementary with no luck I have come to the conclusion there is no stone or if there is its unreadable.
I have emailed the church some 2 months ago and to date have had no reply.

We have a funeral plaque for my Gt Gt Grandmother Ruth Spencer (nee Lewis) including a small picture which states she was buried there in 1878.

Somebody has told me that these plaques were purchased by the family if they couldn't afford a head stone or a Grave is this correct?

I am now thinking pauper graves anybody know how I could find out.

Many Thanks

Cheryl

[dawnsh]

Hi Cheryl

The phrase 'paupers graves' is a bit of a misnomer, families have always paid for their loved ones to be buried either in a churchyard if they were 'of the parish' or in a municipal cemetery unless they were so poor that the board of guardians paid. You usually find that this type of 'poor' family has been receiving parish relief and were always in and out of the workhouse.

Common or public graves in municipal cemeteries exist because families can't afford the outright purchase of the grave, private graves have always been expensive and today costs thousands of pounds, that is if there is still space in them.

Headstones also have been expensive and the family may just not have been able to afford one on top of all the other bills that needed paying.

In your case you need to find out where the church burial registers have been deposited but also look to see if the day books survive because it is the day books which contain the details as to who paid what and for which plot.

[cherylg]

Hi

Thanks for your reply.
As far as I am aware they were not receiving anything from the parish both my Gt Grandfather and Gt Gt Grandfather were Brick makers and always in work.

I now understand what "pauper graves" actually means
I always thought the term meant that the family couldn't afford to pay and they were paid for by parish.

I will try and track down the Day Books - never heard of that term before.

Thank you again for your help

Rgds
Cheryl

[jane harrison]

[jane harrison]

hello
 I also a few years back contacted this church X3 but never got a reply.
  A lot of the graves attached to  this church where lost when some of the ground was used to build the large supermarket & paved area .
However St Marys have a Large separate buriel ground 5 mins walk away this is now run by Ealing council it might be worth a try to contact them & ask about day books & records

[dawnsh]

Hi Jane

This St Mary's is in Cheshire not the one in Ealing.

http://www.stmarysacton.com/

[jane harrison]

Hi Jane

This St Mary's is in Cheshire not the one in Ealing.

http://www.stmarysacton.com/

Sorry will remove post to avoid confusion .

[dawnsh]

Hi Jane

There's no need to alter your post, someone else may come along in future and you've just answered their enquiry.

Apart from that, removing you post will make the topic look like a swiss cheese: full of holes