Two burials in one grave?

[Chris Doran]

I suspect common grave coffins were stacked side-by-side as well as vertically. Spacing between graves at Espom is quite generous, unlike elsewhere. The hedge may have been mere saplings at the time K735 was being filled -- on the other side of it is the main WW1 memorial and burial area. I can well believe that K735 would have been 3 wide and 5 deep if it had been filled, though I'd have to compare with other common graves there to be sure. Remember that people were smaller in the 1920s than nowadays and common grave coffins were doubtless unelaborate, unlined, and quite cramped.

But yes, occupants of common graves could be buried in just shrouds. I've heard stories of coffins with trapdoors on the bottom so they could be lifted out once the mourners had left.

[ThrelfallYorky]

That raises a question to me - if there was a trapdoor, to leave the body in the grave, and allow the removal of the coffin, it'd have to be the same size as the base of the coffin, probably hinged at each side, and opening centrally and how would that be secured during the funeral ceremonies and actual burial? They could hardly rely on the occupant of the coffin sliding a catch across, could they? Anyone seen patent drawings for such a device?

[Skoosh]

An undertaker in Bradford, is using a cardboard inner coffin which is left in the grave when the outer wooden one is dismantled after the burial! Has to be Yorkshire! 

Skoosh.


 

[ThrelfallYorky]

As a Yorkshire tyke ... how dare you suggest.....?
(But how is that done, as well?)

[BenRalph]

I still can't comprehend how 13 could have been buried there. It must cover a decent sized plot or else I dread to think they were buried on top of each other without coffins. Heaven fordid!!!1

I've got records of common/pauper graves that have up to 40 people in.

I've just picked a plot (13707) at random in my local (Hunslet) Cemetery and there were 25 people buried in there in 1889.  23 of them were aged 2 years or under. The other two people were in their 70s. That's such a sad record to look at.

[Maiden Stone]

That raises a question to me - if there was a trapdoor, to leave the body in the grave, and allow the removal of the coffin, it'd have to be the same size as the base of the coffin, probably hinged at each side, and opening centrally and how would that be secured during the funeral ceremonies and actual burial?

When Mozart was buried at the end of the film "Amadeus",  bearers opened one end of the coffin and slid corpse into grave.
Cardboard inner coffin is a good idea.

[Chris Doran]

Reverting to John Wilkinson, his records are here on Fold3, free to view until midnight today (28th May) thanks to their Memorial Day long weekend.

I've only had a quick skim through. He served in France and there are many pages of X-ray reports on shrapnel and bone fragments as well as mention of multiple scars. He was discharged on 16th May 1919 (so he didn't die in service) and elected to remain in England, presumably as he was born in London.

[Skoosh]

Glasgow's Southern Necropolis, opened after the scandal of private mass-graves for cholera victims in the 1840's, has quarter of a million people buried in it including sections for inmates of the local Poor-House (Work-House in England). Superstitious practices like corpses being buried east/west went out of the window in all the municipal cemeteries.
 Another superstitious practice like the burying of bodies inside churches was banned by the Kirk at the Reformation in the 1560's, the churches must have stank!

Skoosh.

[Skoosh]

@ TY, I fancy the bottom board of this coffin is secured with clips & stays in the grave when the top & sides are lifted. A bit like a jelly in a fancy mould! 

Skoosh.