Genealogy Chat

What would be the reason for someone being buried in unconsecrated ground?

There are quite a few members of my family in unconsecrated ground, they are all repectable people with families, no paupers or anything. Would this be because they were non-conformists or something?

The burials are all in municipal cemeteries and where others are Catholics, it does state RC, so it isn't that.

Thanks
Sam x

hi Sam, my great-grandparents are in unconsecrated ground, and it is simply that they were not standard C of E, but Methodists. They were not baptised, but had a naming ceremony. I'm sure someone else will have more info for you.

vicky

My father, a catholic, died in 1953. I remember being told that the part of the cemetery where the Roman Catholics were buried was unconsecrated, and that each plot was consecrated at the time of burial, where as in the C of E part of the cemetery it was consecrated as a whole, therefore the plot would be purchased as consecrated ground.

Lynda

Hi Sam,
It may be because they where not baptised, this was usually the case with RC but I do not know about any other religions.
Pat.

Hi Sam from Stoke
The Cemetary may have been non denominational, if this was the case your rellies may not have realised that they had to ask for the concecration. when my Dad died we didnt find out for months after that he was in unconcecrated ground and had to call the vicar to do it
Tina

Suicide....or executed by the law.

All buried in unconsecrated ground.

Sorry to sound morbid but thats how it used to be!

Gerri x

Just found this snippet of information:

Consecrated ground has been blessed by the Bishop of the Church of England. There is no restriction on who may be buried on consecrated ground, but it is generally used by Church of England parishioners.

Unconsecrated ground has not previously been blessed and is available to anyone. Graves can be blessed at the time of interment by the deceased's chosen minister of religion.

Lynda

They definately didn't commit suicide and weren't executed, I have the death certificates for most of them!

I think the non-conformist thing may be the one. Maybe they were never baptised, I can't find baptisms for many of them in the C of E parish churches for the areas they lived and that could explain why. I will start checking the Chapels and other records to see what I can find.

Thanks guys

Sam x

Sam,

Some denominations only baptise those old enough to personally ask for it - ie adult baptism, and this is by emersion in water. so not all chilren were baptised

Anne

Dear Sam
Several of my relatives who were Methodists were buried in Dissenters' Row in Nunhead Cemetery. This is shown as unconsecrated in the records.