death certificate question?

[ali607]

Hi, i have a death certificate here and under the heading 7b) Qualification (7a being the informant) it says 'Causing the body to be cremated'.

Does this mean that the informant ordered his body to be cremated? Funny way of writing i thought - this was only 1995.

Thanks
ALison

[stanmapstone]

The death must normally be registered by the next-of-kin but if there are no close relatives (or they are not living close enough) then the executor, if any, or otherwise a friend, or a Solicitor, can register the death if he or she is 'causing the body to be buried or cremated'.


Stan

[stanmapstone]

Births & Deaths Registration Act, 1953

16.-(1) The following provisions of this section shall have effect where a person dies in a house.
(2) The following persons shall be qualified to give information concerning the death, that is to say-
(a) any relative of the deceased person present at the death or in attendance during his last illness ;
(b) any other relative of the deceased residing or being in the sub-district where the death occurred ;
(c) any person present at the death ;
(d) the occupier of the house if he knew of the happening of the death ;
(e) any inmate of the house who knew of the happening of the death ;
(f) the person causing the disposal of the body.

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~framland/acts/actind.htm

Stan

[ali607]

thanks - he died at a nursing home - so i thought the woman named in 7b could be a woman there...stan so are you saying that this woman was a relative?
Alison

[casalguidi]

Alison, I have a couple of death certificates like this and the person "causing the body to be cremated" had been an employee of "Social Services" or connected to the "home" where the person died.

Casalguidi

[stanmapstone]

thanks - he died at a nursing home - so i thought the woman named in 7b could be a woman there...stan so are you saying that this woman was a relative?
Alison

Hi Alison,
No, the informant was not next of kin, it was the person causing the disposal of the body, and who would have been issued with a certificate authorising a burial or cremation to take place. This certificate is generally known as the "green certificate" or "disposal certificate". Burials or cremations will not be allowed until the undertakers receive this certificate.
If there is to be an inquest then the coroner will issue a Coroners Order for burial.
There is no proprietary right of ownership of a body in England and Wales. The immediate next of kin and/or executors simply have the right to possession of the body for the purpose of disposal by burial or cremation.
Births & Deaths Registration Act, 1953
17.-(1) The following provisions of this section shall have effect where a person dies elsewhere than in a house or where a dead body is found and no information as to the place of death is available.
(2) The following persons shall be qualified to give information concerning the death, that is to say-
(a) any relative of the deceased who has knowledge of any of the particulars required to be registered concerning the death ;
(b) any person present at the death ;
(c) any person finding or taking charge of the body ;
(d) any person causing the disposal of the body.

Stan

[Tempest2]

I appreciate this is an old post, but the original post answers my question about the "causing the body to be buried" statement. But I have a further question, in my case it would appear my ancestor was in a working mans hostel, in my case the 'informant' on the 1939 register was a 'Relieving Officer' probably working for the Hostel. They I believe had the power to make these statements. Their main job to look after residents welfare. But my question relates to column 1 on the DC it just gives a street. Would that infer the death occurred on the street, cause of death appears to be heart attack. Death by the way was in 1938.
Thanks again

[rosie99]

Scroll to near the bottom of the page for Relieving Officer
https://www.workhouses.org.uk/admin/

[AntonyMMM]

It means the person acting as informant didn't qualify by any closer relationship to the deceased.

Often used for a neighbour,  friend or executor or very often for  a cohabiting  partner.