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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: Kappalyn on Friday 04 May 12 00:33 BST (UK)
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Hi ,
My gg grandmother Fanny Rackstrow Smith died in 14/2/1891. According to the Dorset burial records for Melcombe Regis, she was buried in unconsecrated ground by the vicar. What reasons would there be for this?
Thanks
Margaret
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Hi Margaret,
The quick answer (at this time of the morning ;) ) It sounds as though she was buried in a municipal cemetery where consecrated ground refers to Church of England burials. Those who follow other denominations of religion may opt to chose unconsecrated ground for burial.
Regards,
Colin
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Hi,
From my understanding someone who has committed suicide,non baptised,or anyone non deserving of a proper burial is buried in unconsecrated ground,section of grave yard,where they would keep deceased individuals of this nature.Try google.
Adeline B
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Thanks Colin & Adeline.
I have no information re baptism but she was married in the parish church at Melcombe Regis, her siblings were baptised (or those that I can trace were) so I assume she was too, so I guess that leaves suicide!
Margaret
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Hi Margaret,
The Church of England buried followers on consecrated land which was blessed.If you ancestor did not belong to the church of England she would of been buried in the unconsecrated section of the graveyard.There are other possibilities that I mentioned in my other post, curious to see why she was buried in unconsecrated land :)
Adeline B
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Hi Adeline,
I really don't know where to go to find out why either. I wonder what her death cert would tell me.
Margaret
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Hi Margaret,
Was Fanny Rackstrow married and is her name derived from Frances? How much info do you have on her.
Adeline B :)
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Quite a lot actually.
She was definitely Fanny daughter of George Hayter Crickmay and Hester Rackstrow, b 1835, married William Smith at Melcombe REgis 1860. Had 8 children who were all baptised C of E. William died 1888.
Margaret
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Hi Margaret,
I'm curious what info would be on her death certificate,might be
worth looking into ;)
Adeline B
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Thanks Adeline,
I will get her death cert and check it out.
Margaret :)
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Hi ,
My gg grandmother Fanny Rackstrow Smith died in 14/2/1891. According to the Dorset burial records for Melcombe Regis, she was buried in unconsecrated ground by the vicar. What reasons would there be for this?
Thanks
Margaret
The Burial Laws Amendment Act 1880 allowed the use of the Church of England Burial service on unconsecrated ground.
Stan
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Hi,
From my understanding someone who has committed suicide,non baptised,or anyone non deserving of a proper burial is buried in unconsecrated ground,section of grave yard,where they would keep deceased individuals of this nature.Try google.
Adeline B
In England an 1823 statute legalized the burial of suicides in consecrated ground, but religious services were not permitted. The Internments (felo de se) Act, 1882. removed every penalty on the burial of suicides except that internment could not be solemnised by a burial service, but the body could now be committed to the earth at any time, and with such rites or prayers as those in charge of the funeral thought fit or were able to procure.
Stan
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Thanks Stan
So does that mean she may have been buried there because there was a space or whatever other reason or do you think it still suggests suicide?
Margaret
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Hi Margaret,
You would need the death certificate to know if it was suicide, otherwise you may never know the reason.
Stan
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Or, if you know the date of death, try a local newspaper for a report on the coroner's decision.
But the death cert will give you other info that may well be useful.
Derby Girl
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Thansk you all for thehelp. I will get the death cert and see what it tells me
Margaret
:)
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Hi
The majority of suicides were not denied the right of burial in the churchyard or the burial service, only until 1823 those who committed suicide whilst of sound mind were sometimes though not always prevented burial in a churchyard and did not have the right to a burial service.
'Suicide ‘whilst of sound mind’ was considered by the state to be a serious crime. A suicide’s property could be forfeited to the crown. The church considered suicide ‘whilst of sound mind’ a mortal sin. It was customary in England to bury suicides at cross roads, but not infrequently for charity's sake, the body was interred in the graveyard without ceremony. Coroner’s juries were often sympathetic and returned verdicts of ‘suicide while of unsound mind’. Better to be judged mad than a criminal and denied a Christian burial. If the jury returned the rarer verdict of 'felo de se', felon of himself, the suicide was deemed a felon and their property was confiscated.
Penalties against suicides and their families were gradually reduced throughout the nineteenth century. In 1823, the Right to Burial Act allowed for the burial of felo de se suicides in the churchyard. In 1870, the Abolition of Forfeiture Act removed the penalty of forfeiting the suicide’s property to the Crown. No religious ceremony could be obtained for a felo de se until the Burial Laws Amendment Act of 1880, though the full burial service was still denied them and until 1882; the suicide’s body was buried privately between the hours of nine and twelve at night. Under the Suicide Act of 1961, suicide no longer became a crime, though assisting someone to commit suicide still is.'
The most likely answer would be non-conformism.
Regards
Valda
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Thanks Valda. THat is very interesting. Perhaps she changed to non conformism.
But I will get the death cert and see what it says
Margaret
:)