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
Are they so even when the funerals are provided by burial societies,
and made the subject of special attention?—In benefit societies and
burial clubs there is generally a certain sum set aside for the
burial, which sum is, I consider, frequently most extravagantly
expended. This arises from the secretary, or some other officer of
the club being an undertaker. When a death takes place the club
money is not paid directly: it is usually paid on the club or
quarterly night following. The member dying seldom leaves any money
beyond the provision in his club to bury him, consequently the widow
or nominee makes application to the secretary, who tells her that he
cannot give any money to purchase mourning for herself and family
until the committee meets; this may be three months after the death;
but, says the secretary, “give me the funeral, I will advance you a
few pounds upon my own account;” so that the widow is obliged to
submit to any charge he may think fit to make. I do not mean to be
understood that this is always the case—I am sorry to say it is of
frequent occurrence.
In general, are not the expenses of burial in the Dissenters’
burial-grounds less than those of burial in the grounds belonging to
the Established Church?—On the average one-third less.
On the occasion of burial in Dissenters’ burial-grounds, is any
question ever raised as to whether the deceased was a subscribing
member of the community to which the grounds belong?—No question is
ever asked.
Of corpses of the labouring classes whom you yourself have buried in
the burial-grounds of Dissenters, how many will have been of
subscribing members of the community to which the grounds
belong?—Not one in twenty.
Then the preference arises from the greater cheapness of the burial
in those grounds?—Yes, and the greater convenience. The burial,
instead of being fixed at one particular hour, as in cases of
burials in the Church, may be had within a range of three hours.
This convenience has a great influence on the choice of places of
burial.
Have burials in the Dissenters’ grounds been increasing of
late?—Very much: their places of burial are in general no better;
they are, indeed, in some instances worse than the grounds belonging
to the parish churches, but they would, probably, have enlarged and
improved them, and, at the rate at which they have proceeded, they
would soon have three-fourths of all the burials;—chiefly on account
of the increased cheapness and accommodation attendant on their
burials.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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