Laying out the dead

[IJDisney]

My great grandmother was one of the local women who would wash and lay out the body of the deceased. Is there a technical term for this job? She was not attached to any funeral directors; it was a traditional thing to do. She was also the local (unofficial) midwife.

[Treetotal]

I too am familiar with this practice from growing up in the 50s. I think it probably originated in the pre-NHS days and I remember my Mother saying that she paid the local "Midwife" 2/6d for the delivery of my older siblings who were both born before  the NHS was introduced. The laying out by someone local may have been down to cost. Interesting subject.
Carol

[avm228]

It's not something I've ever given much thought to, but various publications linked online suggest this was part of the traditional role of the midwife in many communities.

[a-l]

I seem to remember it was the job of the midwife ( in loose terms) and prior to that it was local women who performed the laying out.

[iolaus]

Handywoman,or 'the woman who did' or just 'midwife' - she saw you in and she saw you out


There is a lovely book by Leap and Hunter called the Midwife's Tale which chronicles the change from the Handywoman into professional midwifery

After 1902 some of them did become bonafide midwives (which basically meant they had a letter from the local vicar to say they'd been doing the job for a year and were of good character)

However once the central midwives board came in (1902) anyone on the register can only lay out a death connected to the childbirth - which legally put a stop to the two practices going on by a registered midwife - some people carried on doing both and just weren't registered

[Skoosh]

My g't grannie was an un-official midwife, known as a "Howdie!" dunno about any body-washing/laying out, this was in the city.

Skoosh.

[Jool]

My great grandmother was a woman who would wash and lay out the deceased in the family's front parlour.  My dad told me that when anyone in the local area passed away the family would always ask for Lizzie to come and attend to them.  I'm not sure if she was paid for her services.