Genealogy Chat

Some of my ancestors died in a shipwreck close to shore off the coast of Saltfleet in Lincolnshire. Mother aged 26, three children aged 5, 3 and 1. And brother in law aged 19............................ In the inquest in the local paper at time - 1882 it states............................................................. ' The bodies were brought to Louth and buried in the cemetary on Thursday afternoon, in the presence of upwards of a thousand people, a brick grave on the unconsecrated side. The Rev. F Freshney, rector of Skidbrooke, officiated the sight being a most solemn and impressive one.'.......................................... Why a burial in unconsecrate ground? Any ideas anyone? Thanks

If it was a cemetery it might not have belonged to a specific denomination. perhaps the religious faith of the victims wasn't known.

ground that has not been blessed by the Church of England

Were they Non Conformists ? Quite often they were buried in unconcecrated sections of the cemetery Jennifer

Thanks for input so far. No I'm sure they weren't non-conformists. The husband and father of the deceased was baptised and a remembrance note from the time quotes a passage from one of the psalms about Gods ways in the water and sea. The rector from the village nearby officated. They may have been buried in Louth (away from the family home) as the wife's family came from there? But the unconsecrated bit gets me, as I've heard talk of people saying they only get buried there if they are criminals etc.

No. I'm sure they weren't criminals. Lots of people are buried in unconsecrated ground. Usually because they belong to another faith rather than Church of England. Kath. x

I Know Suicide victims were buried in unconsecrated ground but if they were in a shipwreck I doubt that this was the case, unless they wrecked on purpose but highly unlikely I would say. Suzanne