Genealogy Chat

What records are kept on what happens to people after they die? I have heard of the burial index (from this site!) - but is everybody who is buried named on the index? How long do records go back for?? Are they complete records?? Is there a record for cremation or what happens to ashes etc?? If I have a death certificate / date of death etc. - what could I do next?? (have no idea whether buried or cremated!! - the only clue that might help is that she was Roman Catholic). Thanks in advance Liz

The death cert gives you the location........your best bet is to contact the RC church in the town/village and make enquiries through them. Reg

The National Burial Index (NBI) is not complete and doesn't cover all years in all areas. Burial registers are usually kept by the Cemeteries Dept of the place in question if people were buried in a municipal cemetery. These can sometimes be searched at the Records Office or if you phone the Cemetery Office, they may do a search for you although some make a charge for this. Before cemeteries came into widespread use, people were usually buried in a graveyard attached to a church and these records form part of the parish records and can usually be searched at the Records Office for the area. You obviously need to know which church though.

Liz, depending on when she died, if she were a Catholic should would be buried. It's only in the last few decades that the Catholic Church has allowed cremation. M. Steer