Gibraltar: FORTUNATO family, and where are Roman Catholics able to be buried?

[guest259648]

Does anyone know about Roman Catholic burial grounds in Gibraltar.

There are a couple of famous cemeteries (e.g. Trafalgar Cemetery) with graves of seamen, battle casualties, 19th century victims of yellow fever etc.

But where are 'ordinary' RC Gibraltarians buried? e.g. does the RC Cathedral have its own cemetery?

I'm looking for Gibraltar gravestones of/monuments to families called FORTUNATO (possibly 'Fortuna', but will try the longer version first).

Many thanks for your thoughts.

[jonwarrn]

Gibraltar death index cards on FamilySearch, Fortunato
i.e. Francisco, died 29 April 1874, age 44
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSNS-G9D8-W?i=3806&cat=440722

Gibraltar Catholic Church Records
https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/459422?availability=Family%20History%20Library

Indexes included on the films.
Here is Francisco Fortunato's burial, 30 April
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSJ7-MBTM?i=472&cat=459422

Indexes for that register - Fortunato (two of them) on image 380

[jonwarrn]

Throw in another one, Juan Fortunato died 29 Dec 1949, age 74
We can see some of the actual death registrations* on there, the card index says volume A17 page 140

Here is Juan in the appropriate register, is first entry. Died at Colonial Hospital. Born Gibraltar.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSN3-3SQM-B?i=2227&cat=440722

His burial, last entry, two images again.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSJ7-S31L-D?i=961&cat=459422

*1885-1956

[guest259648]

jonw65, thank you for being so kind.
It's marvellous to have documentary evidence of the surname Fortunato on Gibraltar.

I can access the burial register you've found, however it doesn't seem to provide any details of WHERE the burial took place, it just says 'burial performed by the RC minister' or similar.

How can we find out where these burials took place, that is, in which plot of land?
The Family Search entries show the Fortunato families largely using the Cathedral in Gibraltar (St Mary's) for births & marriages, but this building doesn't seem to have a burial ground - so they must be using somewhere else... where could it be?

[jonwarrn]

Hi
You got me there! I don't know exactly where they are buried. The film title just says Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned Burial Records. I know no more! Hopefully other Rootschatters will be able to chip in with further info.

In the meantime, a link to the Civil Registration records
https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/440722?availability=Family%20History%20Library

We can see - via the camera icons - all of the card indexes to births, marriages, and deaths, and the registers of births 1870-1910, deaths as mentioned, but no marriages.
But if the marriage was a Catholic one you should find them in the church registers (FamilySearch have indexed some years on their website and may link to images?)
John

[oldohiohome]

This looks like a list of all the Catholic churches in Gibraltar, including the one you mentioned, with contact information:

https://www.gibraltarcatholicyouth.org/mass-times

[guest259648]

Hi
You got me there! I don't know exactly where they are buried. The film title just says Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned Burial Records. I know no more! Hopefully other Rootschatters will be able to chip in with further info
......

John, you're generous (and honest!)

This is an interesting issue, and a real problem. I have a lot of trouble in finding burial places of people who are otherwise well-represented in the registers. You can't even be sure that they get buried in the same area (or country!) as they die.

Does Gibraltar hold any records of the family names represented in its cemeteries? I can only find online the 'famous' names, which are advertised to tourists, but otherwise it seems impossible to discover who is there.

[guest259648]

This looks like a list of all the Catholic churches in Gibraltar, including the one you mentioned, with contact information:

https://www.gibraltarcatholicyouth.org/mass-times

oldohiohome
Thank you for the link to these photos. I am so envious of these bright blue skies!! It's very useful to have this list of the RC churches. I'm now thinking that the only way to find out where people actually get buried, is to approach a church (or three) and ask...?

D x

[oldohiohome]

Give it a try. I didn't see anything for where their burial grounds are when I Googled. The church you mentioned, Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned, buried some people under the floor of the church-- prominent people even recently, everyone until "the 1800's", or so someone says.

Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned is on findagrave.com but only with the ones buried under the floor recently, if I am looking at the right place. You could try there for the other churches before you call.  ... ?