Heaton Cemetery in Bolton

[JackyFirth]

Thank you for the thorough explanation of the rules of conduct on this site, I created tombstones, so I hope that something can be done this way. And how were the dead buried in mass graves? I didn't know it was possible, especially when the name of the deceased was known. What did it depend on?

[rosie99]

If the family could not afford to pay for a grave then they would be buried in a plot with other people.

[Susan Blackstone]

Hi, If it is of any help to you.  I have been in touch with my sister who lives in Bolton.  She is on the committee of Halliwell History Society, which is a local history group in Bolton, and is willing to visit Heaton Cemetery to look for the graves.

[JackyFirth]

Hello, I am very grateful for your response and willingness to help. I'd be delighted if your sister could find anything.

[Chris Doran]

Well done on your first attempt at creating Find a Grave memorials, Jacky. I didn't want to give you too many instructions on my first message, but here's how you can show them linked as husband and wife:

Take a note of  the Memorial ID for Regina, 258224040. Go to Jozef's memorial, select Edit and scroll down the form to Family Members. Put that number in the Spouse box and the marriage year next to it. Click on Save and you'll see the link on each memorial -- you only have to add it on one of them.

Sadly, most of our ancestors went to "common" graves, often shared with 10, 20, or more other people. Some cemeteries where I take photographs each have nearly 1000 requests since someone uploaded all the names from the early registers recently. I can tell fom section numbers that most are in areas which are bare grass, or now woodland, or has been relandscaped for modern burials on top, making it hard to find the spot to photograph. Let's hope that isn't the case for Regina and Jozef.

[JackyFirth]

Thank you for explaining the situation in detail. I was surprised by this mass burial, because in my country there was never such a custom, the family was always buried together, but never several strangers were buried in mass graves. I will also deal with the marriage connection on the site. Thank you for your valuable tips and sincere help.

[jonw65]

Bolton Council
Burial Records
https://www.bolton.gov.uk/certificates-searches/burial-record

Regina's burial on FamilySearch
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSNP-81P4

There is nothing on Deceased Online to indicate that anybody else is buried with her in the same grave.
If we take Alfred Joseph Melia on the same page on FS, buried 15 Dec, Deceased Online says there are two others in the grave.
Ditto Alan Fielding, 23 Dec, 5 others.

Also, Rachel Lean Margaret Hampson, the burial above Regina, same day, and various others on the page say PUBLIC in the grant column (Regina has a grant number, 19861)
There are 36 others in the same grave as Rachel, according to Deceased Online (is that really possible?)

Maybe Regina is just buried on her own in a non-public grave?

[JackyFirth]

Rather, according to family records, she was buried alone in a paid grave, but after so many years I don't know for sure if that was the case.

[jonw65]

That's the conclusion I have reached. Regina buried in a single plot grave.
Would there be a certain number of years it was purchased for?