a 'silent' burial

[Maiden Stone]

I've seen ones which had " No ceremony "  or " No ceremony requested" written after. They were usually Catholic.

[dowdstree]

Just a thought.

If Lydia's father had only died the previous November could "silent" mean a burial  without the usual bell ringing, hymn singing and so on as the family were still in mourning ?


Dorrie

[Maiden Stone]

Do we know what a normal burial or funeral of an ordinary person  would have been like at this time?
Might the family have belonged to a religious denomination which disapproved of music or even singing in church? e.g. strict Presbyterian.

I've heard tales of burials of Catholics at this time. Some  bereaved Catholic families used strategies to ensure their deceased relative was buried in consecrated ground, whilst avoiding taking part in what they would have believed to be a heretical religious service. These included:
Requesting " no ceremony"  or not requesting a funeral service. Not sure of the procedure.
Mourners talking loudly throughout the burial, thereby drowning out the clergyman's prayers.
Bringing the corpse to the churchyard, placing it beside the grave, then walking away before the burial service began.
Burying the corpse secretly in the churchyard at night.
Another course of action may have been to attend the burial but turn their backs on the clergyman.

[Wred]

I have seen transcript burials of children of silent birth. Presumably still birth or dying just after birth.  Except for the earlier birth you have found this, to me, would seem an explanation. Do you think it possible that the older Lydia also died? and this child was to be named after her sister.?

I believe the CofE allowed unbaptised child burials before the 1880 act.

[Maiden Stone]

Wred, "Silent" as in Baby never cried or made a sound at birth.
Sounds logical explanation.

[groom]

Wasn't Lydia older as stated by Mazi, so not a baby?

Lydia was 5 years and two months old, mum must have been a recent widow as there was a three year old born to her also.

Mike

[Wred]

yes groom I noted that but thought maybe the older Lydia had died and this child was given her sisters name before unfortunately also dying.

[groom]

yes groom I noted that but thought maybe the older Lydia had died and this child was given her sisters name before unfortunately also dying.

It gives her age on burial though as 5yrs 2 months, so it wasn't the burial of a baby.

[Andrew Tarr]

It gives her age on burial though as 5yrs 2 months, so it wasn't the burial of a baby.

What does?  I have transcribed (what purports to be) the original parish register, which doesn't give Lydia an age at all.  Or most of the other burials for that matter, in 1782 ?