Genealogy Chat

Thank you for that insight, Clive. 2 an hour? ..Just quarter of an hour slot at some places I've been to. One lot of grieving relatives ushered hastily out 'to view the tributes', while another family takes their place inside the chapel. A relative asked to book, - and pay for, a double slot,at a crematorium, knowing that the very number of mourners, would take time to be seated. This was not possible.... a quarter of an hour per family was all that was allowed. Gwyn

There's no hard and fast rule. If you are CofE, as so many of us nominally are (but can you recite your catechism?) then the funeral will probably be conducted by a priest from your parish - but so often, ancient parishes are now grouped into 'team ministries', and you might get your vicar, or someone else's, depending upon whose turn it is. If you are non-conformist, if the minister of your denomination will either officiate, or someone will be dragged out of retirement. Once in a hundred, the deceased will be a member of a church-going family, and will have been known, personally, to the congregation and its minister. Naturally, he (she?) will officiate, unless a pressing prior engagement makes that impossible. As for most of us, it's a production line: two an hour, and if you want that extra reading, you only have time for one hymn, rather than two (which is just as well, as the Godless congregation don't know the tunes anyway).

That's interesting Clive. All the services that I've been to at a crematorium have been led by a minister from the deceased's parish, not just someone on a rota. There are 3 crematorium's serving this area, so they must have extensive books if they cover a huge area. My grandfather was buried ( 1956 ) but I have never found the record in a parish register but I know from the cemetery records that the Vicar of that parish officiated. Surely the burial should be in the parish register too? ( Cemetery is in the parish, - an addition after the churchyard was full) Gwyn

If a service is conducted at a crematorium, you should not expect any record in the parish register of the officiating minister - he is just doing a rota duty for a fee (usually). The crematorium will record the event, of course, and they are usually very helpful about legitimate enquires about past events.

nudge

Thank you for your replies. Jay If there is no funeral service at the church but the minister goes to the crematorium for a short service before the cremation, will that still be recorded in the parish register? Gwyn

If there is a funeral service followed by cremation and interment of ashes, both events are recorded in our village church burial reg Official interment of ashes in our graveyard is done in the presence of the vicar and the interment only is recorded in the burial reg. (This is when there has been no funeral service at our church) For burial of ashes in the graveyard, permission should be sought from the vicar, but I suppose there is the possibly of people just doing it themselves, in which case there is no official record. Similarly, there is no record in our register when ashes are scattered, rather than buried. Jay

My grandfather was buried in 1947 in a grave which a newborn baby had been buried in , although the stone just has my grandfathers name on it. Think it was done to save money. Shared graves were used, when no other people were to be buried in that grave. When my father died, he lived with my husband and I, away from the family grave 100 miles away. I had him cremated, and we then took his ashes to the family grave. No Minister was there, just the Cemetry workers. We had to pay £50 to have grave opened, and the workers, then came up and asked us for £10 tip.We placed the ashes in the grave ourselves. As we had had a nice service at the Crematorium, we did not worry too much about a Minister being there. Maureen

I have a similar situation which I am trying to solve. A few months ago my sister and I went to the cemeteries officer at the local council to find the plot number my g.grandfather was buried in in 1951. When the officer looked at the burial register that the council holds she gave us the plot details then informed us that ashes had been interred in with him in 1957 of a woman we have never heard of and neither had anyone in the family. It shows she died in New York and it was round about the time, in 1956, my grandmother came back from Canada, via New York after visiting my aunt there.The interrment of the ashes was done unbeknown to anyone in the family. We still are trying to find out who she is. I asked the current vicar of the church if the vicar at the time would have been present when the ashes were put in and he said no, it could have just been arranged by the council and a workman could have just dug the hole and buried them.It would not get put in the parish register. My gran took this secret with her when she died and I am not hopeful that I will find out about the mystery woman. J

If a vicar / priest conducts a service at a crematorium would it be recorded in the burial service lists of his parish church?.... What about if he conducts a service of commital of ashes?...either at his church or at the crematorium?..... Can someone clarify please?