REPORT |
Soon after the opening of Anfield Park
Cemetery, the attention of its executive was drawn to the great
preponderance of funerals on Sundays, and to the unseemly hurry,
crowding, and other evils which usually attend them. |
The subject also received the consideration
of the board, but it was obvious that no effectual remedy could be
applied without concurrent action in all the burial grounds of the
borough, and that, in order to this, it was necessary to institute a
thorough investigation into all the bearings of the practice, and to
bring under the notice of the public the fullest and most reliable
information that could be obtained respecting it. Thereupon the board
empowered its executive committee to make the requisite inquiry, and in
due course to bring up a report. |
Pursuant thereto, the committee now
respectfully submit that they watched the custom attentively, and
eventually issued a series of questions concerning it, which they sent
to ministers of religion of almost all denominations, to undertakers,
and to others conversant with the subject, soliciting replies. The
returns are about 90 in number: they are pervaded by remarkable harmony
of fact and sentiment, and are of profound interest in relation to the
moral and sanitary welfare of the community at large. |
INQUIRIES TO UNDERTAKERS ONLY. |
The questions addressed to undertakers were
more comprehensive than those to the ministers of religion, several
being applicable to adjuncts of the practice with which undertakers
alone are familiar. They were as follows: - |
"Taking the period from June 1st to November
30th 1865, inclusive, what is the proportion of Sunday funerals to that
of the daily average of the other six days?" |
"On what two days of the week have you the
fewest funerals?" |
"On what day of the week have you most
funerals?" |
"What number of persons are employed
in your establishment solely in consequence of Sunday funerals?" |
"At what hours do they commence and leave
off that particular work?" |
"On the average of six months how many of
your horses are required for Sunday funerals?" |
"What are the moral effects of Sunday
funerals upon your own servants?" |
DAILY PROPORTIONS OF FUNERALS. |
Of 42 undertakers who have made returns six
decline Sunday funerals, and a seventh merely attends to special cases
of an urgent nature. Of the remaining 25 (none of which are drapers)
two-thirds report that they have more than twice as many funerals on
Sunday as the average number of the other six days, and several of the
larger establishments that they have three or four times as many. |
The two days of the week on which there are
the fewest funerals are by general consent allowed to be Mondays and
Saturdays, the fewest being on Saturday, the most on Sunday, and next to
Sunday, Wednesday, after which they gradually diminish to the minimum of
Saturday - the day on which a very large proportion of the working
classes are now at liberty after noon. |
MEN AND HORSES EMPLOYED ON SUNDAYS. |
Of the 35 undertakers of Sunday funerals to
which reference has been made, many employ no constant staff of men, but
engage them as required, so that no positive data can be arrived at as
to the number of persons actually employed at this particular work, or
of the hours taken for its performance. 30 of the principals, however,
report the number of men they require to be 250, and taking the low
average of six for each of the remainder, it gives a total of 280, whose
attendance is in many cases necessary the whole of the day. These are
altogether irrespective of the large number of labourers and others,
whose services are required at the various places of interment, who may
well swell the number to upwards of 400. |
Six establishments employ, or let out on
hire, for Sunday funerals 190 horses, the remaining undertakes hiring
both horses and coaches, or cars, as they are wanted. Of the quantity of
car-horses engaged no reliable account can be obtained. |
MORAL EFFECTS ON THE PERSONS EMPLOYED. |
As to the moral effect of such work upon the
men employed at it, it must almost superfluous to say it is bad. The men
have the least comfort of home, or their families of them, when they
should have the most. Whatever benefit might accrue from domestic
influence - from reading, or from attendance with others on public
worship and instruction - of that they are deprived. Drivers and bearers
are plied with drink, many are overcome by it, and in almost all there
is, as might naturally be expected, "indifference to religion," and an
utter disregard of the sanctity of the day." |
QUERIES TO MINISTERS AS WELL AS UNDERTAKERS. |
The questions proposed to ministers of
religion as well as to undertakers have reference to their personal
knowledge of the subject: - |
To the inconveniences attending Sunday
funerals. |
To their general characteristics. |
To the retention of the dead longer than is
safe, to wait a Sunday funeral. |
To the desirability of abolishing Sunday
funerals. |
To mentioning places in which they are not
practised. |
And to a request for suggestions bearing on
the subject. |
INCONVENIENCES OF SUNDAY FUNERALS |
Of the 43 ministers who have made returns,
several officiate regularly at our local places of interment, and others
submit the result of their observations, of their former experience, or
simply offer an opinion. |
As a rule, the Presbyterian and Welsh
ministers decline Sunday funerals and condemn them: and in general
Nonconformist ministers have little experience of them, their
congregations for the most past preferring to inter their dead on other
days. The proportion of single interments in Sunday, in the Church of
England and Roman Catholic divisions of Anfield Park Cemetery, is as 12
to 1 compared with those in the General of Nonconformist portion, so
that we must look mainly to the testimony of the clergy of the two
former churches for a full exhibition of the characteristics of the
custom. |
With one exception, the responding ministers
regard the addition of burial services to their ordinary Sunday
avocations as extremely inconvenient. The writer who constitutes the
exceptions says, - "I should think to the clergy generally Sunday would
be the most convenient day for burials, because on this day especially,
the clergy are at their churches, near which burials usually take
place." On the contrary, many of the clergy declare that they would
"hail relief from Sunday funerals as a great boon." Quoting their own
remarks they say, "Sunday funerals interfere with stated duties." They
tend to "desecration of the Sabbath, and cause trouble and annoyance to
the clergy." they necessitate "painful hurry when before morning
service, and sadly encroach on valuable time." "Ministers reside at a
distance (from the places of burial) and get no rest for other labours."
"Teachers and scholars are kept from school." "Funeral parties
frequently absent themselves from worship the rest of the day." "They
interfere with the usual routine of my work, prevent me going to my
schools, and make the day a burden." Others write to the same effect. |
With three exceptions, and those persons of
very limited experience, the entire body of undertakers also
emphatically pronounce Sunday funerals "inconvenient." To them, the
principal inconveniences are, the insufficiency of their usual
complement of men, horses, and coaches, to meet the Sunday demand, and,
using their own words, the consequent "dissatisfaction;" the
"interruption of regular meals;" the " want of rest for man and horse;"
the "overworking" of both; the "indecent haste;" the "driving as if
going to the races, instead of to the grave;" and the constrained
"postponement of orders which cannot be executed." "one hearse has
frequently to bring two bodies," and "one set of coaches two funeral
parties; the consequence is, they arrive too late for the service in the
chapel, sometimes too late for any service whatever, when the bodies
have to be left for interment the following day." "The chapels are
oftentimes much crowded, and as some partied arrive early and some late,
it is frequently impossible to preserve that quiet and decorum which
should characterise funeral services." "There is more damage done in the
hurry and disorder of a Sunday to horses and property than in all the
week days put together." |
"The coaches often break down with the loads
they have to carry on that day." |
NUMBERS ATTENDING FUNERALS IN SUNDAYS COMPARED WITH
OTHER DAYS. |
"With respect to the attendance it is
concurrent testimony of all who have replied to the question that Sunday
funerals are attended by much larger numbers of people than those of
other days. Omitting only those answers which are much alike, the
reasons assigned by ministers are thus expressed: - "For many the great
inducement is drink." "To save half a day's wages, and to secure a
larger attendance of friends." "On other days very many could not make
the necessary sacrifice - a weighty reason for their continuance." "The
day for sick clubs and benefit societies, a large attendance is looked
upon as a mark of respect, often a pretext for a feast or a spree."
"More working time is lost owing to idleness on Monday, the result of
excess at the Sunday funeral." "People are in their holiday clothes,
poor people are driven to expense they cannot afford." "More friends can
be gathered together; there is a sort of rivalry in making up a grand
procession; this explains the passion for Sunday funerals." One who says
he never has to officiate at a Sunday funeral, writes - "I believe it to
be a very great convenience to poor people." the testimony of
undertakers under this head is so similar in all respects to the
foregoing that to repeat it would be superfluous. |
CHARACTERISTICS OF SUNDAY FUNERALS |
The next subjects of inquiry were - |
1st "So far as you can ascertain, are
funerals on Sundays, observed with more or less decorum than on other
days?" |
2d "State the result of your observations,
as to the general character of Sunday funerals." |
As these questions are closely allied, the
replies are given conjointly. The following are literal quotations from
those of ministers: - "Military funerals on Sundays bring a rough
rabble, but the services are not disturbed." "Most painful to see the
effects of large funerals on those outside." "The fewer there are the
more decorous the funeral: many seem quite indifferent to the deceased."
"Often much disorder, as it is a season for feasting and sometimes
drunkenness; it is customary to give the coachmen drink." "There is less
solemnity, more dissipation, and impatience of seasonable counsel."
"Both alike decorous." "Scarcely any observable difference." "Less
decorum every way." It is curious that these last three directly
opposite observations are by clergymen who officiate at the same burial
ground. There is less decorum, especially in the streets and at the
residences of the relatives." "They lead to carousals, to corrupt the
morals of the young, and to Sabbath desecration." "They lead to
profanation of the Sabbath by drunkenness, gluttony, and other
excesses." That is from a clergyman who has long laboured in a poor and
central district. "When I was curate at B--- I strongly objected to
them, on account of the feasting, drunkenness, and immorality which
attended them." "There is less decorum, being a holiday, and Saturday's
wages at command. Sabbath desecration is often added to intemperance."
"Decidedly less decorum on Sundays; drinking and immorality under the
plea of friendship; idlers crowd round the house and grave." "More
funeral dissipation that day than any other: extravagance, crowding, and
revelry attend Sunday funerals." "They lead to Sabbath festivities even
among members of Christian churches." "More eating and drinking, more
unseemly conduct, because the whole day is given up to them." the
following, from the Very Rev Canon Fisher, of St Edward's College, is so
full of practical wisdom and religious sentiment, especially in relation
to this part of the subject, that, with his kind permission, the return
is given entire: - |
"St Edward's College, Liverpool |
"Dec 12, 1865. |
"Mr George Turvey, Anfield. |
Dear Sir, - I am honoured with your favour
and accompanying list of questions in reference to Sunday funerals. |
"I am of opinion that it is not desirable
that funerals should take place upon Sundays. |
"1st Because I think that it is oftentimes
the cause of the dead remaining too long unburied. |
"2d Because it entails a heavy expense upon
the poor, at a time when they can ill afford it. |
"3d Because it is oftentimes the cause of
intemperance. |
"1st It will be found that there are never
many funerals upon a Saturday or upon a Monday, whereas the number upon
a Sunday far exceeds that upon any other day. This is a clear proof that
the dead are kept for a Sunday funeral. I am of opinion that it is very
desirable that interments should take place as early as is consistent
with propriety. |
"2d I note that on week days funerals are
more privately and thus more inexpensively conducted than upon Sundays.
There are fewer attendants and consequently less number of carriages.
Where there is a large party of friends, not only the expense of
conducting them to the cemetery, but also that of entertainment, must be
considerable; and families have oftentimes to incur heavy debts for the
demonstration of a Sunday funeral. I am of opinion that this expenditure
would be considerably diminished if funerals were confined to week days
only. The representatives of the deceased would not feel themselves
called upon to invite so large a party of friends; and if even invited,
many would not be able to attend. There would be also less inducement to
show and ostentation, there would be greater privacy and greater
simplicity, and yet no less respect for the dead. |
"3d If the foregoing premises be correct,
the deduction is that there would be less intemperance. Where there are
many to be entertained, it is difficult to restrain all, and many think,
unwisely, that hospitality and friendship are to be measured by the
amount of intoxicating liquor that is provided for the invited. |
"I am aware that many amongst the Catholic
poor consider that it is a mark of great reverence and respect to give a
grand funeral to their dead; but I hope to see the day when better
sentiments will prevail, and when they who mourn over their departed
friends will seek their consolation in higher and more noble thoughts,
and will assuage their grief silently and unostentatiously in the
company of a few sincere friends, either in supplicating God's mercy for
those whose loss they bewail, or in holy meditation on their own last
end. |
"I desire to convey to the Burial Board that
I am speaking the sentiments of those with whom I am associated. - I am,
always, yours faithfully,
JOHN HENRY FISHER." |
Undertakers have the opportunity of
observing the characteristics of Sunday funerals from the house to the
grave, and from the grave to the house. Twenty-seven of these witnesses
declare that they are conducted with less decorum than those of other
days, and seven are of opinion that they are much the same.
Notwithstanding, five of the seven say they would gladly be relieved of
them, and one only is desirous to encourage them. Quoting their own
language, they write: - "My men often blame the ministers for doing
service for such audiences as they meet with on these occasions." "My
horses are overloaded, the people are in large numbers, and often very
disorderly." "There is generally drunkenness and often very disorder."
"There are frequent disturbances, and the people are unfit for religious
duty." "There is feasting and drunkenness, with quarreling." "It is more
like going to the fair than a funeral." "Often more like going to the
races than to the grave." "Wages often spent in drink, unfitting for
work for days after." "More drink and carousing than on any other day."
Similar replies are given by all the twenty-seven. Of the remaining few,
one, who admits he has only one a week, remarks that is is "Much the
same as other days," and the party who would encourage the custom says
his Sunday funerals are "Much like other days, or preferable." |
RETENTION OF THE DEAD FOR SUNDAY FUNERALS. |
The next question was, "Have you reason for
supposing that the dead are often kept longer than is safe, to wait a
funeral on Sunday?" |
Of the twenty-seven ministers who have
replied to this question, twenty-six are of opinion, or know positively,
that they are so kept. |
Of the thirty-four undertakers, thirty-two
say they are often kept longer than is safe. |
The following are extracted from the
observations of ministers: - "I know it is so, even in fever cases; they
say they cannot leave work to bury sooner." "Yes, have met with not a
few, decomposition sometimes far advanced." |
"From repeated observations the dead are
often kept longer than is safe." "I have facts, not reasons - smell." "I
am sure of it, especially when the deceased was in a club." "A matter of
common occurrence, and a serious sanitary evil." "Yes, I have known it
repeatedly." "Undoubtedly; there seems to be a traditional notion that
it is more respectful to the dead to bury on a Sunday." "Often; a friend
has known them kept a week for a Sunday funeral; generally amongst the
poorest, having sometimes but one apartment." One writes - "I have no
doubt it often is the case, but the evil might be aggravated by
preventing Sunday funerals." the evidence of one parochial clergyman on
this point is so conclusive and appalling that, with his consent, it is
given entire: - |
"St Stephen's, Liverpool, Dec 18, 1865. |
"The question of Sunday funerals is indeed a
most important one. the long retention of the dead in order to have a
Sunday funeral has both a demoralising and, in a sanitary point of
view, a most injurious effect. |
"During the past six years I have had almost
daily opportunity of witnessing the sad results of what are termed
'wakes' amongst the poor of St Stephen's district (the district is
bounded by Edgar-street, Marybone, Standish-street, North-street,
Dale-street, and Byrom-street; in 1861 its population, as shown by the
official census, was 14,449). |
"I have known bodies to be kept five or six
days (and this in a fever neighbourhood, in the month of July) in order
to bury on Sunday. a short time since I had to pass through a 'wake' to
visit a poor man, dying of fever, whom I found lying upon some old straw
and rags in a miserable garret in a court house in Adlington-street. I
counted 17 persons in a small room, at two o'clock am, who were smoking
and drinking. this 'wake' had been kept up for four nights; the funeral
did not take place till two days after my visit, and other cases which
have come under my own notice during the past few months in
Addison-street, Milton-street, Sawney Pope-street, Fontenoy-street, &c,
&c. |
"One in particular. The body of a man who
had died from fever was brought from the workhouse to a court in
Addison-street; the people of the house refused to admit the corpse. a
cellar in a court out of Fontenoy-street was hired (in which three
persons resided); a 'wake' kept up for five nights in order that the
funeral might be held on a Sunday. I heard upon good authority that
upwards of �12 was spent in this case. Several deaths occurred in this
court from fever within a short time after the funeral, (I think it was
within ten or fifteen days). |
"Again, in a court in Milton-street, I visited a
man at 11.30 pm, whom I found suffering from fever. there was his wife,
six children, a married daughter, and her two children, all sleeping,
eating, and working in a small room about 10 or 12 feet square. This
poor man died while I was with him. His remains were kept six days in
order to have a Sunday funeral. I have upon several occasions taken the
funerals at the parish cemetery on Sundays, and found it most difficult
to get through the service from the effluvia from the bodies, which had
been kept five or six days. |
"I would not beg to suggest that the Liverpool
Burial Board should not only close their cemetery, but also help in
having others closed. For years the parish cemetery in Cambridge-street
was only open three days a week, and closed on Sundays. Were the
cemetery open for funerals on Saturday afternoon, say at three o'clock,
and on Monday morning at nine o'clock, I think Sunday funerals might be
done away without inconvenience to the public. - I am, &c, |
"HENRY GEORGE VERNON. |
"PS - I believe a great saving would be made
of money badly spent at such gatherings as I have witnesses, both during
what are called 'wakes' and large assemblies at the houses of the
deceased, which in all probability would not take place were the
funerals held upon a week day. |
"I have in several cases known working men to
neglect their employment for one or two days after attending a Sunday
interment, thus injuring themselves, their families, and their
employers. |
"H G V" |
With a single exception the whole body of
undertakers reply to the same effect. One observes, "I can give
hundreds of cases from my books where bodies are kept five, six,
and seven days, so that the funeral may take place on
Sundays, and that, too during the hottest months of the year, and in the
most unhealthy streets of the town, in court houses, and in rooms where
there is not proper accommodation for the living, but where living and
dead are together." |
|
"EXAMPLES" - FROM A PERIOD SHORT OF
THREE WEEKS. |
Sundays, 1865. |
J M died Nov 13, at Copperas-hill,
buried Nov 19. |
E P died Nov 21, at Sydney-pl, Edge-hill,
buried Nov 26. |
J C died Nov 27, at 119, Wolfe-st, T'x'th-pk,
buried Dec 3, at Anfield |
W D died Nov 28, at William Henry-street,
buried Dec 3. |
M B died Nov 28, at Walnut-street,
buried Dec 3. |
T B died Dec 2, at 14 court,
Parr-street, buried Dec 10, at
Anfield |
|
The following are extracts
from others: - "Often compelled to bury on Saturday, after ordering for
Sunday, in consequence of the intolerable smell." "Sometimes kept nearly
a week, producing many miseries." "Know of their having been kept from
Sunday to Sunday." "Have known them kept five days." "the bodies are
often in a decomposed state when the coffins are fastened down." "Have
known many fever cases kept from Monday to the Sunday following, against
all advice and persuasion." "Yes, in summer the smell is often
unendurable." "often kept four or five days, sometimes until in a state
of decomposition." "The working classes are disposed to bury on Sunday,
though the death may have occurred on Monday or Tuesday." "Yes, from
Monday to Tuesday to save loss of working time," and several more to the
same purport. A cemetery superintendent adds, "In the summer months the
effects of keeping bodies to have a Sunday funeral are dreadful. I have
often perceived the effluvium from them as the hearses were going along
the road, and that when I have been a considerable distance off. We
frequently have to keep the coffins out of the mortuary chapels
altogether, on account of their offensiveness, and in not a few cases we
have had to take the hearses to the graves, and deposit the bodies at
once to guard against ill effects." |
ABOLITION OF SUNDAY FUNERALS. |
To the question - "Do you think it desirable
to abolish Sunday funerals?" - 34 ministers answer with more or less
emphasis that it is, and 6 reply in the negative. |
Of the undertakers, 40 say they should be
abolished, and two only that they should not. |
Of the six ministers who are for continuing
the practice five have little or no experience of it themselves, and one
seems to have taken the question as admitting of no exceptions. Several
are so deeply affected by a view of the enormity of the attending evils
that they would utterly abolish them; but a very large proportion, both
of ministers and others, take the intermediate ground, and would limit
Sunday interments to cases professionally certified for immediate
burial. A parochial clergyman, who say the discontinuance of Sunday
funerals would certainly be a great boon, observes that according to
"the old law relating to parish churchyards, a parishioner cannot be
refused interment on the Sunday, when due notice has been given to the
proper authorities, to have the funeral at some hour which would suit
the convenience of the minister of that day." |
PLACES WHERE SUNDAY FUNERALS ARE NOT PRACTISED. |
The last of the series of questions issued
by the committee had reference to places in which Sunday funerals are
not practised. The following have been returned in reply: - Walton
Church, Bootle Church, Ormskirk, Chester, Carlisle, Cambridge, places in
and about London, and in nearly all parts of Scotland and Wales. |
CONCLUSION |
From all that has been gathered on the
subject and summarised in this report, it is the opinion of the
committee, - |
1st That Sunday funerals are exceedingly
inconvenient to almost all whose services they demand on the day of
rest; and that their abolition or limitation would be an immense benefit
to all concerned. |
2d That the arguments advanced for their
continuance are merely such as are compatible with a restriction of the
custom to certified urgent cases, and interment only at an early hour of
the day. |
3d That in view of the leisure now enjoyed
by the working classes, especially at the end of the week, a desirable
and ample substitute for ordinary Sunday funerals may be found in having
a public interment service at nine on Monday mornings in addition to
ordinary services at two and four on Saturday and other afternoons. |
4th That, as a rule, there is no real
economy in Sunday funerals, but that, on the contrary, they entail upon
those who have recourse to them an expenditure for the conveyance and
entertainment of friends which on other days would not be required, and
which, at seasons of domestic affliction and bereavement, the poor are
least able to afford. |
5th That, with few exceptions, Sunday
funerals are highly detrimental to public morals, and are in so many
instances the direct causes of contagion and death as to call for
preventive measures on the part of the public authorities. |
6th That in cases of death in our hospitals
from infectious diseases it should be rendered imperative the friends of
the deceased that the body should be conveyed within a reasonable time
direct to the place of burial, and not to the abodes of the living. |
Lastly. That steps should immediately be
taken for bringing this report under public attention, and for securing
that concurrent action on the part of burial grounds authorities, which
is necessary to a practical and effectual remedy. |
On behalf of the Executive Committee of the
Liverpool Burial Board, |
S B JACKSON, Chairman |
The following is extracted from the
Liverpool Mercury of the 23d February last: - |
"FEVER |
"TO THE EDITORS OF THE LIVERPOOL MERCURY. |
"Gentleman, - If Mr J R J will take a walk through Blair-street in
the course of to-morrow he may observe the upper street of a window on
the ground floor of one of the dwellings lowered considerably, for the
purpose of purifying, I suppose, as much as possible, the air inside the
room. I may inform him, then, and the public at the same time, that in
the room referred to lies the corpse of a man who died last Monday of
malignant fever, after an illness of about seven days. for some reason
or other his friends have fixed on Sunday next as the day of interment.
* *
* *
* * |
(Signed)
"ARGUS." |