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
Unequivocal proof is given of the dispositions of the labouring classes
in this respect by the fact that the number of interments of persons of
those classes in cemeteries is increasing, even under increased charges.
For example, on examining the mortuary registries of the Westminster
cemetery, to see what were the class of persons interred, it appeared
that the majority of the persons interred in that, which is the cemetery
most heavily charged with burial fees, was of the labouring classes from
St. George’s, Hanover-square. The fees for interment, in the suburban
burial ground in the Bayswater-road, belonging to their own parish, were
15_s._; and interments in the trading burial grounds might have been
obtained at lower rates: but the fees paid for interment at the more
distant cemetery are 30_s._ for each burial. The registries contained
similar evidence in an increasing number of interments of the labouring
classes from immediately adjacent suburban parishes, such as Chelsea,
Brompton, and Kensington, of a disposition to make sacrifices, to obtain
interments in places that are more free from offensive associations to
them than those which attach to the parochial burial grounds.
Mr. Wild was asked—
So far as your experience goes, does the practice of interment in
cemeteries result from motives of economy or from choice of
situation?—From choice of situation, or from dislike of the
parochial burial-grounds; in nine cases out of ten from preference
of the situation and mode of interment in cemeteries; the choice
would indeed be general, if it were not for the increased charges
made by undertakers. The undertakers have generally increased the
funeral charges at the cemeteries above one-third. The number of men
taken out, whose whole day is occupied, make up the increased
charge.
You state, that but for the increased charge, the custom of
interment in cemeteries would be general; has the strength of the
attachments to the parochial churchyards diminished?—Yes, under the
recent inquiries and exposures of the state of the churchyards they
have almost vanished. But at no time was the attachment to the
parochial churchyards in town so strong as in the country. In the
country, even the poorer classes will pay the sexton a fee of from
1_s._ 6_d._ to 2_s._ 6_d._, for “keeping up the grave.” This cannot
be the case in the towns for want of space; parties who appoint
their places of burial, generally select a place on account of its
quiet.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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