Workhouse deaths

[Finnis]

hello
i've recently discovered that a relative of mine died in the Todmorden Union Workhouse in 1910. As I've so far been unable to locate a grave for him, can anyone tell me where people would be buried who died in the workhouse and would it necessarily be the responsibility of their relatives?
He seem to have been in and out of workhouses every so often and this would explain why he doesn't appear to be listed anywhere on the 1891 census (his wife and one child are staying with his sisters family and two other children were residing with his mother-in-law). Is there any way I can find other workhouses in the same area for the 1891 census? Todmorden Union's website only has the 1881 listed on it's website, and my relative seems to have been in between visit's at that time.

[Geoffers]

i've recently discovered that a relative of mine died in the Todmorden Union Workhouse in 1910. As I've so far been unable to locate a grave for him, can anyone tell me where people would be buried who died in the workhouse and would it necessarily be the responsibility of their relatives?
A couple of workhouses whose records I've checked for the 19th and 20th centuries have their own deaths register. This register records name, age, parish from which admitted, where buried if not home parish and for some of the entries, by whom buried (i.e. friends, parents, son, wife, etc).

It might be worth checking with the Record Office to see if they have a similar register for Todmorden workhouse.

Geoffers
Charlbury, Oxfordshire

[Peter Goodey]

If the location of the grave is important to you, I'd try the parish in which the workhouse was situated (this was usually the default graveyard if the body wasn't claimed), the parish in which his family lived and also probably the relevant local authority.BTW being in a workhouse was usually a good way to guarantee that you WERE counted. He might of course have been on his bike looking for work and sleeping under a hedge.

[Finnis]

Thanks for your help. I've checked the Parish where his son was buried and there is no sign of him or his wife there. I'm now trying to get the adjacent (to the workhouse) parish death records.
It's a nice thought to have him searching for work, but he was already employed. As it would appear, he's the black sheep of a rather well-to-do family, and it's more likely he ended up there due to too much consumption of the good life. i think my next stop may be the records office. We're rather hoping if we find him, we will find his wife.

[Mary, Mary]

Just a thought, if most workhouses buried their dead in the same way that Elham (Kent) did, then it should be relatively easy to find where your rellie is buried.

Inmates were buried in paupers graves, right enough, but they had the dignity of a Minister officiating and a numbered plot in the cemetery, so that relatives could pay their respects if they wished.

It may be worth you checking the relevant Council's Parks Department web-site, if they are the people monitoring the cemeteries in the area. They should be able to give you an exact position if you can provide them with a rough date of death and full name.

Regards

Mary