The deceased was buried in the manner prescribed... (General)
by barbarajane 
, Wednesday, April 23, 2008, 10:12 (6065 days ago)
The deceased was buried in the manner prescribed by the Act of Parliament of 4th Geo. 4, chapter 32.
Gloucester inquest part 6
The above was included in the entry for Jemima Phelps who committed suicide while pregnant in Newent. This sounds ominous, can anyone explain
Thanks
The deceased was buried in the manner prescribed...
by Jean Herbert , Leeds Yorkshire, Wednesday, April 23, 2008, 11:31 (6065 days ago) @ barbarajane
Sorry I can't help you with the answer Barbara but I would also be interested in any replies as we have many Phelps in our tree through a Herbert/Phelps marriage in Gloucestershire and then on to Yorkshire. Regards Jean Herbert
1823 Suicide Act
by slowhands , proud of his ancient Dean Forest roots, Wednesday, April 23, 2008, 13:33 (6065 days ago) @ barbarajane
Burial of Suicide Act 1823 (4 Geo. IV)
is the law refered to
An Act which stopped the previous custom of burying a suicide in the roadway. It was now lawful for these to be buried in consecrated ground, although without the benefit of a religious service. It also brought to an end the tradition of driving a stake through the body and throwing lime over it.
The Act of 1823 "abolished the custom of burial at the crossroads and provided that the body should be buried [in the churchyard] between nine and twelve at night without any religious rites. This statute has been repealed by the Interments (Felo de se) Act 1882, which provides that a body may be buried in any way authorized by the Burial Laws Amendment Act 1880, i.e. either without any religious service or with such Christian and orderly religious service at the grave as the person having charge of the body thinks fit."
The last recorded burial of a suicide at a crossroads in this country was in 1823, when a man called Griffiths was buried at the junction of Eton Street, Grosvenor Place and the King's Road (although without a stake driven through his chest).
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Ἀριστοτέλης A Gloster Boy in the Forest of Dean ><((((*>
1823 Suicide Act
Thanks for this, Slowhands. My gx3 grandfather, George Wiliam Pewtner b 1804 Whitchurch and d 4 Jun 1873, drowned himself in the Monnow in Monmouth. I have a newspaper article about the inquest, giving various grisly details about the finding of the body, that says he committed suicide whilst insane. I believe he is buried in Monmouth Cemetary, though no gravestone. This would fit in with what you say.
Someone told me that the "whilst insane" bit was a sort of get out clause to enable burial in consecrated ground, but from what you say it wasn't necessary, so perhaps he really was insane. Poor chap.
Joss
1823 Suicide Act
by slowhands , proud of his ancient Dean Forest roots, Friday, April 25, 2008, 06:43 (6063 days ago) @ joss
"whilst insane"
I think the "get out" clause is about right considering what we suspect of Victorian values / attitudes :-)
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Ἀριστοτέλης A Gloster Boy in the Forest of Dean ><((((*>
1823 Suicide Act
by barbarajane , Friday, April 25, 2008, 08:19 (6063 days ago) @ slowhands
I have found the inquest entries fascinating & give a reflection of the atitudes of the time. The number of children who burned to death is horrible but the parents do not seem to be held responsible, an idea we would find outrageous today. Many thanks to the people envolved in the transcription project