Death in the Romford Workhouse Infirmary 1924

[PaulDorrell]

In 1924 man in his 50s say, is taken ill and because he has little income and no savings, is treated in the local workhouse Infirmary in Romford. Sadly, he dies. How would the body be disposed of?

You see, I understand that had he been an inmate then the Master would have been responsible for the registration of his death and subsequent burial. I presume this would also be the case if the body was not claimed? But this chap's body was claimed for burial by a married lady whom, at this stage I assume was a relative, although their names are different and there's no obvious connection. Yet he was still buried in a pauper's grave - in an unmarked communal plot. The death certificate states who claimed the body but not their relationship to the deceased.

I don't know much about Poor Law Union workhouses or their proceedures, but surely the body wouldn't be released without some proof of family connection? Would such proof appear in the workhouse records? And if not there - where? And it seems strange to claim a corpse and then it to end up in a pauper's grave anyway.

Any suggestions or comments please?

[valg]

Not really to sure about this but I googled and it says those that died in workhouses if unclaimed were buried by the workhouse in a cheap coffin in the local cemetery or alternatively they donated bodies to medical research to save any expense, in the case you mentioned maybe it was a relative/friend trying to make sure he at least got a burial. Could the lady have been assiciated with the local undertaker.

[Peter Goodey]

If the informant was the "person causing the burial" it was not the undertaker.

The person who claimed the body was responsible for the burial costs. It would be up to her to decide how much to spend.

Can you not trace the woman who claimed the body?

[PaulDorrell]

Thanks both. I have now traced the woman who claimed the body. I know when and where she was born, when and to whom she got married and where she was living in 1924, at the time she claimed the body for burial. But I have been unable to establish any form of "relationship" to the deceased - yet. A funeral card was produced by the undertaker and they are still in business (obviously a steady trade!) but their records only go back as far as 1926. Hence my interest in the workhouse processes for, and possible records of, releasing a corpse for burial.

[Peter Goodey]

The CRO catalogue is online but I don't find it very easy to use. Gibson, Rogers and Webb's reference book suggests that not many relevant records of the Romford Union have survived. There are Guardians' Minutes but inmates' names tend to appear there only if there's something unusual or interesting about the case. It's probably the sort of thing that's worth looking through if you happen to be there for some other reason.

My cynical mind says to me that if a workhouse official was faced with the choice of either (a) a burial at public expense or (b) someone else offering to assume responsibility, he wasn't going to hesitate for very long!

[PaulDorrell]

Thank you Peter. We have very similar levels of cynicism. My man was not, of course, an inmate but a patient in the Infirmary. Which, either way, I guess, is even less reason for any official to take note of his passing. I shall carry on rewardless ... who knows what I may find.

[Peter Goodey]

I think it would have been recorded - unfortunately I don't think the records have survived. Perhaps give Essex Record Office a bell?

[PaulDorrell]

Thanks Peter, looks like a phone call will be the best option.

Regards,

Paul