Genealogy Chat

Just come back from a rewarding trip to my local cemetry where i knew some of my ancestors were buried. Have found out so much in just one trip....its a must tip for all newbies & oldies alike, if you can visit the cemetries where your ancestors are buried!!

Depends. Yes, I found my great-grandparents' grave on my 2nd attempt and discovered a great-greatuncle by marriage in the next-door grave in Richmond Cemetery, Surrey But no, I just found a patch of earth despite having a grave number, at St Marylebone Cemetery. Great-grandfather's Norfolk memorial stone has his year of birth out by a year too, which meant it took me ages to find his birth! But I am glad you had a successful time. nell

Only if your family was relatively well heeled!! Until comparatively recently the cost of a headstone was beyond the reach of most people. My 5 x great grandparents have a headstone on which it says they were both a 100 when they died, and lived in wedlock for over 70 years. In fact they were both 94 when they popped their clogs (born 1760s) and it must have been a matter of a whip around amongst their scores of descendants to pay for it. Victoria

My family must of clubbed together as it started as there was a small grave but then when my 2 distant cousins died on the Titanic in 1912 a large memorial was placed on top. There are 4 buried in the grave & it acts as a memorial to the two lost at sea!! Luckily as mum is parish clerk we had the old map of the graveyard & ref numbers to go by but even though we didn't find all of the ones we hoped to.

It's interesting how ancestors could afford headstones. My ancestors weren't 'well heeled', yet they have headstones with lots of inscription including verses on them. Must have made the stone mason's hands hurt! When my Dad died 3 years ago I was amazed at just how much a basic headstone cost. The more words on the inscription the greater the cost. I have wondered if parishs had a fund for families to contribute to which would cover the cost of their headstone and funeral.

I know exactly what you mean the headstone I found today is huge with lots of writing, I'm wondering in this case maybe the family had a payout from the men's company or something as they were a simple mining family 12 people living in 3 rooms!!

Perhaps The White Star Line compensated the families of those who drowned and thats how they could have afforded such an ornate grave.

I think its something else I'm going to have to investigate!!

did they belong to a burial club? it was common for people to pay weekly into such a club as they dreaded a pauper's funeral.