Genealogy Chat

Could someone tell me about common graves please (circa 1912) ? Just had confirmation my Dad's baby brother is buried in a common grave and his mother in another common grave, both in Abney Park Cemetery. Can anyone give me some insight into common graves please? Thanks, Viv.

Hi Viv Im no expert but I do know that they are also referred to as Pauper Graves. Obviously the cheapest way to be buried. Suzanne

Viv Have not found much by googling, but 'The great majority of cemeteries made provision for public graves. While at some sites these had stone markers, impermanent wooden ones were more frequently used, thus these areas of common graves appear today as open areas of lawn and planting only.' from www.english-heritage.org.uk/upload/doc/cemetrybooklet-web.doc I think most churchyards/cemeteries just had common graves for poorer burials - ie people that couldn't afford to buy a family plot. nell

hi viv my mum had 2 sisters who died in infancy they died the same year one was 8 and the other 14days old the younger one is buried in a common grave which means there are many other people buried with them,they dont have head stones only a plot number.her other sister is buried in a private grave with my nan and grandad angie x

THey were known as paupers graves. The grave would have a designated amount of peolple that could be buried there.(my grt gran is in a paupers grave with seven other people).The grave isnt owned by any of the families of the deceased so thereofore no markers to show who was buried is allowed. it will be a grassed area usually . None of the people buried in there would be related ,unless of course two of the same family were buried at the same time. In the case of a mother dying in childbirth & the baby too ,the babe would be in the same coffin as the mum. You can find the burial plot tho as it would be in the cemetary records. Shirley

Helen, I didn't find much by googling either. The letter from Abney Park said they didn't think I would find the common graves as there were no headstones (which I had already summised) and 'if' there were marker stones they would have been lost in the undergrowth. Angie, Thanks for the info. Viv

Shirley, There seem to be 16 others with my grandmother and 20 with my uncle! Viv

VIV they should have the cemetary records. I found my grt grans grave ,the cemetary supervisor looked thro the record & found the Row & Plot no. and took us over to the area .all the graves were kept in line so he was able to count down & across & show me the grass spot where she was buried, she died in 1907. 3 weeks before my dad ,her grandson,was born. I put flowers on the area. Shirley

Shirley, Yes, the cemetery records have been searched, I have area/s and grave no's but Abney Park in London is now a nature reserve and obviously both 'plots' are quite large (20 others in with uncle and 17 with grandmother) and there is usually only a marker stone with plot number on. From what I can gather, the area/s are left as natural (wild) as possible and they are not mown/ cleared. Viv

Not sure what's all on this but might be worth a look. http://www*framland*pwp*blueyonder*co*uk/ replace * with . Marion

Viv Thats very sad. I was luckly because the cemetary where lots of the family are buried is still in use,ie no more land but private plots still being reopened for more burials. Its very beautifully maintained by the Greenwich Council Shirley

In 1947 my sister died aged 16 days. In those days babies less than a month old were routinely buried in communal graves. My sister was the 12th and last baby buried in that grave. In such an instance it had nothing to do with being rich or poor - just the way it was. Victoria

Thank you to everyone. With all your input I now know a bit more about common graves. I suppose I was a bit shocked this morning when I received the letter from AbneyPark that my grandfather buried his baby son and then his wife in common graves. Obviously money was short with 4 other children. I think I feel more sorry for my Dad who didn't know where his Mum was buried (he was only 4 when she died) and he would have been upst to know she is buried with so many others and no memorial. Once again, thank you all. Viv