Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 20
  1. #1
    Rachandgarry
    Guest

    Default Distance from death to burial location...

    Hi,

    I've searched for this but nothing has come up so I'm going to post in the hope someone knows the answer!? It is one small query even though I am typing a lot, its just for clarity.

    My g-g-gf Alfred Cresswell Selwyn (the nice one who we know lots about, for anyone familiar with my research troubles) was born in 1861 in Hawley. In 1871 and 1881 he was in Aldershot with his family but by 1891 he had moved to Salisbury as a lodger. Still in Salisbury, he was married in 1892 to Lucy King, then had 2 children there in 1895 and 1896 (Alfred George Cresswell Selwyn and Frederick Cresswell Selwyn). His address in 1901 and 1911 was 11 Park Street, Milford Within, Salisbury.

    He died in 1935, I have the index for him of Q1, 1935 Lambeth Vol 1D, Page 213. Aged 75.

    The Wiltshire Memorial Inscription Index has a reference for him as follows:

    Alfred Cresswell Selwyn: Buried London Road Cemetery, Salisbury, Wilts. WMII Reference number 109072

    So I'm just wondering what procedure was in the 1930's when you died. How could he die in Lambeth yet be buried in Salisbury? They weren't a monied family, (though nor were they in the poorhouse) so I can't imagine them paying to have him carted around the country.... One of his children was living in Fulham in 1917, and was in Southwark in 1918.

    I have no further addresses for him, so I don't know whether him and his wife Lucy moved to the London area to be near their eldest son, or if they continued to live in Salisbury.

    Anyone have any ideas, theories etc?

    Thanks
    Rachel

  2. #2
    Jan1954
    Guest

    Default

    First action: Get the death certificate. It should have the address of where he was living at the time and the name of the informant may also give a clue.

    My great uncle was killed in a motorbike accident in Kent in 1931 but is buried in St Albans, Hertfordshire as that was where his parents (and he) lived. Although my great grandparents had the money to transport his body I do not know the mechanics of the arrangements.

  3. #3
    Famous for offering help & advice
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    West Yorkshire
    Posts
    1,729

    Default

    My first thought on this is whether there was an existing family grave in Salisbury, perhaps Lucy's? He might have made it known that he wanted to be buried there - or it might have been cheaper to transport his body and use the existing grave than to purchase a new plot in London. Knowing what happened to Lucy might provide at least part of the answer.

    Arthur

  4. #4
    Rachandgarry
    Guest

    Default

    Jan, thanks for replying, and yep I might have to get the death certificate but <embarrassing confession coming up> I have spent so much on certificates trying to find the family, and our finances aren't in brilliant shape, so if it isn't essential than I'm trying not to order the certificates but find information a different way.

    That's interesting about your great uncle, that is some distance that he travelled so maybe it was common practice.

    Arthur, thank you for your thoughts. That's a good point, it may have cost less to travel than to buy a plot in London. Re the family grave, Lucy, his wife, died in Salisbury 5th October 1933 2 years before him. She is also buried at the London Road Cemetary, Salisbury and has the same number on the WMII. Her family are all buried in Donhead St Andrews, Wiltshire so it is unlikely to be a family plot. Alfred's parents were from Southampton and London so I don't think its family that way either. (Of course, I could be wrong, I only have the occasional window in to their world, through certificates and census returns)

    Thanks again
    Rachel

  5. #5
    Knowledgeable and helpful
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Wakefield, West Yorkshire
    Posts
    626

    Default

    Did they have insurance?
    Many paid a small insurance premium to help with funeral expenses. It could have provided enough to return the body.
    Cheers
    Guy
    As we have gained from the past, we owe the future a debt, which we pay by sharing today.

  6. #6
    Famous for offering help & advice
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    West Yorkshire
    Posts
    1,729

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Rachandgarry View Post
    Re the family grave, Lucy, his wife, died in Salisbury 5th October 1933 2 years before him. She is also buried at the London Road Cemetary, Salisbury and has the same number on the WMII. Her family are all buried in Donhead St Andrews, Wiltshire so it is unlikely to be a family plot. Alfred's parents were from Southampton and London so I don't think its family that way either.
    When I said family grave, I didn't mean it would necessarily have been in use for several generations. A possible scenario would be that after Lucy died he went to live with one of his children in Lambeth/Southwark, but it was always understood that when his turn came he'd be buried with her back in Salisbury.

    Arthur

  7. #7
    Rachandgarry
    Guest

    Default

    Doh! Thanks Arthur, sorry I misunderstood what you meant. That does sound feasible completely.

    Guy - that's another good thought. From 1891 - 1901 he was an "insurance agent/commission agent/assurance agent (life) refuge office" so he would definitely have known about that type of thing. He then became a gardener on the 1911 census and a 1917 certificate, but who knows what he is after that.

    Thanks for those ideas. It does sound quite feasible that he died in London and was buried in Salisbury.

    Rachel

  8. #8
    Super Moderator - Completely bonkers and will never change.
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    England
    Posts
    9,620

    Default

    Just to shove a possible spoke in the wheel - you're talking about a reference on the Wiltshire Memorial Inscription Index. Being mentioned on a gravestone does not necessarily mean that the person is buried in that grave.
    There is a date of death/burial of 13 February 1935 mentioned for Alfred.
    I would be very strongly inclined to ask Salisbury cemetery if they could confirm that Alfred is buried in the cemetery.
    Alternatively contact Wiltshire FHS to ask if they could confirm whether they took the information about Alfred from the gravestone, or from the cemetery burial register. If they say from the gravestone, then you will need to contact the cemetery.
    Pam

  9. #9
    Mutley
    Guest

    Default

    There is also a possibility that he was cremated. I think Woking was the first crem in 1885. He may have died in the Southwark area but his ashes taken to Salisbury.

    You would have to google to see if that theory is really a possible.

  10. #10
    Rachandgarry
    Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Pam Downes View Post
    Just to shove a possible spoke in the wheel - you're talking about a reference on the Wiltshire Memorial Inscription Index. Being mentioned on a gravestone does not necessarily mean that the person is buried in that grave.
    There is a date of death/burial of 13 February 1935 mentioned for Alfred.
    I would be very strongly inclined to ask Salisbury cemetery if they could confirm that Alfred is buried in the cemetery.
    Alternatively contact Wiltshire FHS to ask if they could confirm whether they took the information about Alfred from the gravestone, or from the cemetery burial register. If they say from the gravestone, then you will need to contact the cemetery.
    Pam
    Hi Pam,

    Thanks for replying - I had no idea that it didn't automatically mean that he was buried there. I don't know how one would know that, without having had experience of it or happening to read something that contained the information... I'm learning stuff all the time!

    I tried to find the cemetery but I haven't had any joy yet, I can find it on google maps but I can't find a website or telephone number for them. Everything just brings up the newer cemetaries.

    I am thinking of joining WFHS anyway, as two lines of the family are from Wiltshire. I should get on and do that asap I think.

    Thanks again..
    Rachel

    P.S. Mutley, thank you for your idea - the mistake I made in assuming the WMII reference meant he was buried at that cemetary also meant that I didn't even consider cremation. What the hell can you type in to google for this situation?!

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Select a file: