Genealogy Chat

Thanks to Nell for pointing out Brendas answer re parishes. It seems likely then that this chap hadnt been a naughty boy but had been possibly buried in another churchyard in the same area. I shall have to check the neighbouring churches - 2 of them about 2 miles away.

Heather Please see Brenda Hawkin's 2nd reply to Karen from Oz's thread 'Any idea...' nell

What an awful thing to do! Seeing as my ancestors kept him in business in that village.

There's something in the back of my mind that I may have come across this before somewhere. I've got a feeling that it might be something to do with the vicar's fee? I seem to remember that if the family couldn't come up with the money to pay him then he just crossed it out in the ledger. He couldn't really undo the burial, though, could he....? Regards, Mary

1837 Peter. No, it wasnt a suicide. Weird or what. I reckon they just do things to confuse me, like the Rosamund and Mary being entered as parents of a child at a christening. Zoe, what you mean like queuing up for the sale at Harrods? I told my husband that the church warden said I could share one of the ancestors plots - I was everso pleased and he said 'Thats something for you to look forward to then' !

Do you have a cause of death? If it was suicide he wouldn't have been buried in consecrated ground - maybe the vicar refused to bury him.

What year are we talking about here might that give a clue, IE A war, a plage, Little green men???? (Them again)LOL

LMAO had visions there of you bedding down for the night with a big duvet lying in a mound of earth perhaps you could leave a note on one of the graves asking if he's down there and see if one of them answers you

Oh gawd, Ive got dozens of dressmakers! Funny, I cant sew a button on. No, this guy is a gentleman's servant. Husband reckoned that may mean slightly light on his feet considering the rest of the family were horny handed men of the soil! Graveyard still there, but only 7 of my lot had headstones - a few thrown in together - all paid for by one of the girls who was a bit flighty and managed to shack up with two much older men in her lifetime. Actually I have spoken to the church warden there who I have become very friendly with. The church is now in a very trendy commuter, yuppie village and they are rationing the plots to people with a village connection. However she reckoned seeing as my ancestors filled up about 2 centuries of the parish registers I could probably jump in on top of one of my lot!

Heather dont suppose theres burial inscriptions for the parish church or if the graveyard's still standing and you could find out if he is there or not. The whole occupation of 'gentleman' always draws suspicious thoughts. My 4x gt Grandfather went from an acountant to a gentleman in 5 years and I first thought he'd embezzled. But when someone told me dressmaker was a euphemism for prostitute and all 15 of his daughters were dressmakers I wondered whether by gentleman he meant pimp.

Yes, he was christened in same parish. Ive just looked at the on line transcriptions to see if they throw any light but they have the same, viz: Henstead District Ketteringham 1837 HORSTEAD, James 53 105 this entry was crossed out I cant find him elsewhere. The only thing is he was a 'gentlemans servant' and my husband reckoned amongst a large family of agricultural workers this may be a euphemism!!

ignore me - I just reread your post and noticed your talking about parish registers not cemetery records. Do you have a christening for him? Was he divorced? or is there any reason the vicar would think him unworthy to have a christian funeral so removed his name? Other than that I'm stumped Zoe

That's a good question Heather! lol Could the parish clerk have been a little too efficient and entered the burial ahead of the service, only to find that he was to be buried in a different parish. Could the body have been exhumed for some reason and reburied somewhere else at a later date. Could he have originally been buried in a paupers grave and then some family member decided to stump up for a proper burial. Would the death cert give you a clue? Jeanette x

could it be something as simple as his plot was sold on after 75 years so they crossed him out when it was 'repurchased'? or his widow changed her mind and wanted to keep him at home to scare off therent man ;o)

I have an ancestor whose details have been entered as a burial in the parish register and then all crossed out. Now, assuming they didnt realise he was still alive as they lowered him down, what reason could there be for entering such full details and then just crossing through them. He doesnt appear anywhere else in years either side.