Burials after suicide

[mentmore]

Hi

If a person committed suicide, I understand they couldn't be buried in a Churchyard, so where would they be buried?
Would it be in an a part of the churchyard that wasn't consecrated? and would the burial be entered into the church records?

[Annie65115]

What sort of date do you have in mind?

I know of a man who killed himself in the 1850s, whilst living in the local town; he's buried in the graveyard of his home village in the same county.

[hanes teulu]

What period are you talking about? Check out the 1823 Suicide Act, the Burial Laws Amendment Act 1880 and the Suicide Act 1961.

[PaulineJ]

Our local graveyard has (at least) one suicide.
Note in the register Buried without (church) service.

Pauline

[J.R.Ellam]

hi

The inquest usually returned a verdict of took own life while temporally insane which enabled them to be buried in the churchyard.

John

[Gone]

I have 2 cousins who sadly took that path, both are buried in consecrated ground.
Griff

[AllanUK]

I can concur with Jim - I have an ancestor who committed suicide in 1875 and the coroner's verdict was that the cause of death was "suicide whilst in a state of temporary insanity". This was also stated on his death certificate. He was buried in the village churchyard in consecrated ground.

I also seem to remember that by the coroner giving such a verdict, it allowed the deceased's estate to be retained by the family (or distributed in accordance with a will). However, I can not find my notes on this so can not state it so with 100% accuracy.

[hanes teulu]

Also check out "Felo de se"

[mentmore]

Hi, Many thanks to everyone who replied to my request regarding burial after suicide.

The year was 1923 the person concerned was aged 19 years old and a soldier.

I have been told he is not buried in his home village churchyard in Buckinghamshire, nor can I find his burial in Hampton Middx or surrounding area, the place where he died.

Many thanks