Is this Public or Private Section Ford Cemetery Liverpool

[VICTORIA]

Hi. Can anyone tell me if Section SJ is private or public section Ford Cemetery Liverpool.
Victoria

[Plummiegirl]

Not too sure what you mean about Public or Private.  Never heard of this type of thing.  What you will get are sections for different denominations.

[VICTORIA]

Hi. A private grave is owned by family. A public grave ( paupers grave ) is where burials were for people who died and were interred with others who were not related because family could not pay for private burial.
Victoria

[Blue70]

SJ is a public section. No pauper burials at Ford as it's an RC cemetery not a parish cemetery. "Paddy Greengrass" created this usage guide. There's some confusion though over some sections ie Section B in the burial records usually refers to BZ and I think D is AD:-

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~hibernia/PDFs/Ford_Cemetery_Section_Usage.pdf


Blue

[Blue70]

There's a map on this link showing the private sections for Ford and usage dates so this will hopefully avoid any confusion over sections:-

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~liverpoolindexes/maps.html


Blue

[VICTORIA]

Thanks Blue. I always thought public burials were pauper burials. Who paid for public burials.
Victoria

[dawnsh]

I think the use of the wording 'pauper' in relation to burials in public graves is completely wrong and our ancestors would be horrified to think that we thought that way.

Historically, paupers burials were paid for by the Board of Guardians where the death occured in the workhouse or the person was receiving relief.

See this article on the Poor Laws

http://www.workhouses.org.uk/poorlaws/newpoorlaw.shtml


The cost of purchasing a private plot in a cemetery (as opposed to a churchyard) has always been expensive and in many cases, prohibitive. Even today, plot fees cost many thousands of pounds.

See the example from Kensal Green, one of London's Magnificent Seven and still open today

http://www.kensalgreencemetery.com/memorials/index4.html

Why horrified? the families may not have been able to afford the plots, but they would still have scrimped and saved and clubbed together to pay for the best coffin, funeral and flowers they could afford.

In today's society, if a family cannot afford to pay for the funeral, the state will help with a grant, but in these cases, burial is not an option as cremation is cheaper.

See this recent newspaper article

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/oct/20/paupers-funeral-austerity-britain-soaring-costs-bury-loved-ones

[VICTORIA]

Thank you. Most interesting.