A supplementary report on the results of a special inquiry into the practice of interment in towns.Chadwick, Edwin
History
A supplementary report on the results of a special inquiry into the practice of interment in towns.
Chadwick, Edwin
Burial; Cemeteries -- Great Britain; Mortality -- Statistics; Public health -- Great Britain; Working class -- Great Britain
Do you think that parishes generally would object to the expense of
providing cemeteries?—I think that if separate parochial cemeteries
were established, the expense incurred would be so serious as to
induce parishes almost to submit to the evils resulting from town
interments rather than incur so heavy an expenditure. One of the
advantages of having one or more cemeteries on a large scale would
be that the expense would be thereby proportionably and very
considerably diminished.
George Downing, a mechanic, and secretary to a burial society, it will
be found, represents sentiments extensively prevalent amongst persons of
his own class in the metropolis.
Do you conceive that any arrangements for the improvement of
interments would be carried on more acceptably to the labouring
classes if they were conducted by officers connected with the
parish, or by a larger and superior agency?—The working people would
sell their beds from under them sooner than have any parish
funerals: it is heart-rending to them, and they would prefer any
other officers to the parish officers.
Do you find that they are prepared to have interments in the towns
prohibited?—Yes, it has been very much debated upon since the scenes
in the churchyards are made known, and they wish the bill to be
carried. I am confident that every man in our club would petition to
have the bill carried, so that such scenes may be put a stop to. I
find the opinion of the working men on the subject is quite
universal about it. They expect that Government will provide the
grounds and some means of conveyance.
Mr. Dix was asked—
Is it the expectation of the labouring and poorer classes that large
public cemeteries will be provided?—Yes, that I think is the general
opinion.
Do you conceive that large cemeteries, on a national scale, will be
more acceptable to the labouring classes than parochial burial
grounds, whether in the present grounds or in burial grounds in the
suburbs of the metropolis?—I think the national cemeteries will be
much more popular.
If the burials of the working population could be performed in the
more ornamented and attractive cemeteries, such as those at Highgate
and Kensal Green, at the same expense as in any of the grounds
within the town, would there be any who would not be buried there?—I
think very few.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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