Help in finding a stillborn baby from 1962 in Reading

[neilo19]

Hello all
I am trying to track down the last resting place of my wife’s stillborn brother Paul GABBEDEY born in Battle Hospital Reading in 1962 (we do have his stillborn certificate which we obtained from GRO that confirmed the date )
Battle hospital has closed down and all records transferred to Royal Berks Hospital, but they were unable to help as their records did not go back far enough
I also searched the cemetery records at the council archives in Reading but no record was found there in his name I found some stillborn were listed but not his
So my question is this would local cemeteries to the hospital ,which are likely to have received stillborn from Battle Hospital at that time , have records of all the burials of stillborms even if they are not in the council archives and if so is their anyone here that may be able to point me in the right direction who may be more familiar with the Reading cemeteries….
Many thanks
Neil

[Daisypetal]

Hi,

Welcome to RootsChat

I found this "Reading Crematorium Book of Remembrance"

https://www.remembrance-books.com/reading/book-of-remembrance.html

I've not used it before but it seems to have entries recorded monthly rather than yearly. As you know the date of death you will be able to look up the right month.

I hope this helps.

Regards,
Daisy

[neilo19]

Hello Daisy
Thankyou for this but unfortunately he was not in the book but I appreciate the reply
Neil

[Daisypetal]

Hi,

You mention that you searched the council archives in Reading but I'm not sure if they are the same as these?

https://www.royalberkshirearchives.org.uk/news/article/cemetery-records-part-one


You may have tried this already, but just in case, I wonder if it would be worth contacting the Berkshire Family History Society?

https://www.royalberkshirearchives.org.uk/news/article/cemetery-records-part-one


Daisy

[dawnsh]

Hi Neil

There are 2 approaches for finding burials in general:

Look at cemeteries closer/closest to home or

look at cemeteries closer/closest to the hospital.

Unfortunately there is no guarantee that the baby will be in either so you'll have to extend the search. Many hospitals had a contract with a local funeral director for arrangements for the burials of still-born & premature babies or sickly children.

I don't know what religious persuasion the family follows but also consider Catholic cemeteries.

There's a list of council run cemeteries here

https://www.reading.gov.uk/life-events/deaths/crematorium-and-cemeteries/opening-hours-directions-and-facilities/

A phone call or email to the office requesting help locating a still-birth burial can be useful. Staff in cemetery offices tend to know where the most likely places are based on the hospital or home address.

Not any easy task but I wish you well in your search.

Dawn

[neilo19]

Hello Dawn
Thankyou for this it is much appreciated
I have utilised the staff at the crematorium services and they tried (well the second person did the first one was very unhelpful ….) but , were unable to locate any specific cemetery that battle hospital used at that time .
I am pretty sure it is a cemetery in Reading not near home as all stillborns we could find from Battle hospital at that time appeared to use either Hemdean or Henley Road (as London Road stopped taking new burials in  the 1950s .)
I can assume but without documentary evidence I cannot be sure and I know there must be a paper trail somewhere just not sure where to go next ….
Thankyou
Neil

[neilo19]

Hello Daisy Thankyou again for this

Yes that was the info I searched from at the Berkshire Archives when I went also went through all the microfiche on other cemeteries in the area
As mentioned I feel it is Henley Road cemetery but not sure how I can look deeper if the only records are at the archives

Neil

[dawnsh]

I'm sorry you haven't had much luck so far.

Try closer to home?

Are there any family plots that he might have been buried in, with grandparents, great-grandparents?

He might also have been buried in a churchyard?

There is also the chance he was cremated but I would have thought the cemetery office would have checked but as you found out, the 1st attempt wasn't successful.

[jaywit]

Have you looked round Facebook etc. to see if there are any groups of retired Battle Hospital staff?

You might just find someone who knows what the procedure for burials of stillborn babies was in the early 1960s.