Genealogy Chat

My gg grandfather Jesse Titshall committed suicide in 1894 in Letheringham, Suffolk, according to his death cert and was buried in the local church on the day the coroners inquest was held, and I looked at his burial record at Suffolk Records Office today and the person who carried out the ceremony was a A. W Van De Burgh, an Officiating Minister. What does that mean? I do know that suicide burials werent allowed to have a marked grave in local churchyards but what would an officiating minister's role be? Thanks Ben

Hi, It just means the minister who conducted or officiated at the service. Gwynne

I've seen this description in a modern baptism register when the parish vicar was away and the vicar from a neighbouring parish officiated at the service.

Hi Thanks for your suggestions. It just seemed a bit weird as the surrounding burials were performed by the local vicar. Perhpas I should look up Mr Van Den Bergh on 1891 and see what his occupation was. Ben

Benjamin It might just have been that the proper Minister did not feel he could officiate at the Burial of a Suicide, but common humanity demanded that SOMEONE of the Cloth did so, as a sort of sop to the remaining family, and the Minister called in someone from another Parish, who wouldn't be so 'involved'. Although there would have been no funeral as such, the Officiating Minister would probably have said prayers for the dead at the burial site. Very sad. Olde Crone

Hi Olde Crone I found him on 1891 census, he was a clergyman for C of E. I did read that suicide burials took place in the hours of darkness with no ceremoney but obviously not in my ancestors case. Ben

But I thought your rellie DIDN'T commit suicide.....because the inquest found him to be of unsound mind?????? If you took your own life whilst of unsound mind, that WASN'T suicide! It may be that the local vicar wasn't happy with this verdict at the inquest (An unsound mind verdict was often brought in to placate the relatives etc) and, believing it was suicide, refused to perform the burial service, or maybe there was another reason for having a different officiating minister....... Merry

Hi, It could be that Mr Van Den Bergh was the curate of the parish - did he officiate at any other burials? Or perhaps he vicar was on holiday. Gwynne

Sometimes people ask for someone other than the local vicar to perform the ceremony. Maybe a family friend. My mother requested that the service be performed by a relative who happens to be a minister and had known her for many years rather than the local vicar who she had only met a couple of times. It just implies he was from another parish.

I don't think 'being of sound mind' was a factor ... I had one- 'Tile jury returned a verdict that deceased committed suicide while temporarily insane and under the influence of drink.'

I stand corrected then Geoff....I was influenced by one of mine that said the deceased, ''caused his own death whilst of unsound mind, the crime of suicide having not been committed'' (or words very close to that - I don't have the item in front of me at the mo!)..... I guess this may be a grey area between one coroners court and the next?? Merry