Alice Hopkins burial 1902 Rowley Regis

[Rowleyrosie]

I have just obtained the death certificate for my Great-grandmother Alice Hopkins (nee Morton) who died at the Guest Hospital, Dudley on 11 July 1902. Her address at the time of her death was given as 24 Knowle, Rowley Regis though she had been living in 1901 in Tipperty Green, a few hundred yards away. Alice had nine children in twelve years of whom only four survived.
I am interested to see that her husband Arthur did not register her death until 11 October, three months later.  The certificate gives no indication of there having been an Inquest or any reason for the delay in registering and the cause of death was shown as Morbus Cordis (8 months), exhaustion and Heart failure (14 days), signed by the doctor.  Possibly he was so occupied in caring for his four surviving small children that he simply didn't get round to it.
To date, I have not found her burial though I suspect that she was buried at St Giles' Church, Rowley Regis not only because that was the parish church but also because my great-grandfather, who moved to Coventry shortly after her death, was brought back to be buried there forty years later, possibly in the same grave. He had never re-married.
I am not sure where the burial registers for Rowley Regis are for this late date, I have digital and printed copies of earlier ones but they finish in 1849. They may be at Sandwell Archives at Smethwick Library. Is anyone close enough to do a look-up for me please? It would be interesting to see whether her burial was delayed as her death had not been registered, as these days the Burial Authority has to see the death certificate or a Coroner's Order for burial. I know this, having managed a cemetery for some years!
I would be grateful for any help.

[ColC]

I cannot answer the direct question but I did notice that there were 4 (much earlier) Hopkins burials at St Giles and the marriage of Arthur and Alice on freereg.

Colin

[Rowleyrosie]

Thanks, Colin. Yes, Alice and Arthur were married at Reddal Hill , Staffordshire on 8 December 1889. I am fortunate enough to have their original marriage certificate, handed down through the family which was a great start!
There were a few Hopkinses about earlier although it isn’t a common name in Rowley Regis. My line, through Arthur’s father Edward or Edwin comes from Tewkesbury/Gloucester to Rowley in 1861. Edward/Edwin Hopkins (he was baptised Edwin in Tewkesbury) and used Edwin at least until the age of 11 when he was in the Gloucester workhouse but appears mostly as Edward after he moved to the Midlands. He is actually shown as Ed in one census so I suspect that is what he was called but several of his descendants are named Edwin so that was obviously known in the family. Edward married first Ann Cole of Rowley - three days before the 1861 census! - who died a couple of years later, as did their son James and then her cousin Elizabeth with whom he had several more children, of whom Arthur was the eldest.
Interestingly, both Edward/Edwin and his older brother James whose parents were both dead by 1842, moved from Gloucester to the Rowley/Oldbury area, James marrying in Birmingham and then moving to Oldbury as did Edward later. I know they were in touch with each other because in one of the censuses Edward’s eldest daughter is staying with James and his family. My thinking is that both orphaned lads may have worked on the canal boats operating from Gloucester to the Midlands, as was apparently common for homeless lads in Gloucester then and found their way North that way. Their elder sister had stayed in Tewkesbury in service after their parents died within a year of each other , their eldest brother changed his surname (no-one knows why!) and joined the Merchant navy in Gloucester docks, later settling near Southampton. I know from contact with his descendants that he never saw or was in contact with his brothers again though he did later re-establish contact with his sister and he named sons after his lost brothers.
As to this query, If there is no-one near Smethwick, I will see what research fees the library charges but I thought it worth a try.

[ciderdrinker]

Hi
The Cemetery records are at
Sandwell Valley Crematorium
Newton Road, West Bromwich, West Midlands B71 3SX

They will give you the info for free if you
 call 0121 569 6701 or email ( the email on their website ,apparently not allowed to post)
They will even send someone out to show you the grave if you are in the area.
They are really good.

I'd try those first as the burials for Rowley St Giles in the 20th century may be harder to find.
I did look at the gravestone inscriptions on line for St Giles but didn't find anything for Alice.

Ciderdrinker

[Rowleyrosie]

Cider drinker, thank you so much for this, I will certainly try them, that sounds promising. I hadn’t found the MIs for St Giles online, so that is worth knowing that they are there though  I suspect my lot were mostly too poor for headstones.
Much appreciated.