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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Midlothian => Topic started by: Duncan32 on Monday 30 November 20 15:18 GMT (UK)
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I have a death record that states '....and was interd here from Dale Street Pleasance a coach lyes 21 feet....'. Other records state '....interd here in arms'; '....on shoulders'; '....in a hearse'; '....on spokes'.
I assume these refer to how the dead person was transported to the cemetery? If so, what does '....on spokes' mean? (in a cart?). Also, does anyone know if '....[in] a coach' is a common form of transport - this seems a bit grand for my poor ancestors !
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Can you post the relevant document here?
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Thanks for your response Forfarian.
I have attached the original record to this post (Also, do you know what the numbers refer to in the columns to the righthandside? - age? - first column years, second column months?)
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I have carried coffins on my shoulders and twice carried one at waist height, supported on wooden battens. I think "spokes" must be wooden spars like that, perhaps actual recycled spokes from a wheel. One of the children was carried on "half spokes", so there must have been a shorter set for smaller coffins. I think they might be called coffin trams.
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@ GR2, spokes are still used, I was at a Highland funeral where they were used to get the coffin to & from the hearse, the short service was outside the home of the deceased & the kirk not used, then to the kirkyard.
Skoosh.
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I was interested reading the attachment to your post the distances travelled to the graveyard.
I looked up where West Kirk was and it is now called St. Cuthberts which is the church set back of Lothian road in the west end of Princes St. Edinburgh.
Having lived in Edinburgh for many years and knowing it’s geography people were covering a good distance to bury their dead.
St. Cuthberts is a very interesting church, it has a Tiffany stained glass window, 1 of only 8 in Europe. It depicts David holding his sling preparing to slay Goliath.
Agatha Christie’s second, quiet, secret ? marriage took place there in a side chapel.
It has the most amazing apse made from many different colours of marble, quite OTT but stunningly fascinating.
My Dad had been to a probus talk which had mentioned the marble, he was very keen to see it, we had tried several times to go but it was never open.
So once he was staying with me I suggested we go just after the Sunday morning service. We knocked on the door and explained why we were there. The gentleman who answered was in full morning dress, striped trousers, tail coat etc.
He explained they were having a vestry meeting but if we came back in half an hour we could have a quick look round. We did but felt like the poor relations in our scruff as the whole committee were in morning dress.
This was about 15 years ago , the church now much more of an open door policy and it well worth a visit if in Edinburgh. It has a very interesting graveyard which is in two parts as it was ‘sliced’ through when the railways were built.
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Thanks for your responses to my query. Looks like St Cuthberts is worth a visit - hope the lockdown restrictions lift soon so I can make the trip.
Best wishes
Duncan