Genealogy Chat

It’s not that unusual. Money would have been tight during the war years and shortly after. A headstone would be considered a luxury. Factor in that quarrying for memorial stone & the actual skill of a stone mason would be ‘non essential work’ to get a better idea.

We’ve tracked down several family members purchased graves from the same period. We could see the depression in the ground. None of them had a headstone.

Got this back from Leicester Council-

Francis Alfred Bloxham and wife Constance Bloxham were buried at Saffron Hill Cemetery, Stonesby Avenue, Leicester in Grave Con J No.81. Francis Alfred Bloxham (Grocer) was the deed holder to the grave and requested space for only 2. No memorial.

Constance Bloxham, aged 61 years of 2 Knighton Fields Road West, Leicester, died 10th November 1941 and was buried on Thursday 13th November 1941.

Francis Alfred Bloxham, aged 71 years of Sundial Nursing Home or 166 Vernon Road, Leicester, died 1st January 1947. He was then buried Monday 6th January 1947.


Does 'No Memorial' mean that they decided they did not want a grave stone....essentially they just bought the burial plot? That struck me as unusual.

https://imgur.com/a/cctjP

They are probate records (not the will) and as such the named persons are those nominated to deal with the estate and officially granted that right i.e. executors. Buying a copy of the will would show you whom the worldly goods were left to.


Various sites via google explain what probate is -

https://www.probaters.com/probate-explained/what-is-probate.html
'Probate' is the name generally given to the process of administering someone's estate when they die. When someone dies owning significant assets, a formal 'grant' must be obtained from a court to enable their estate to be collected in and divided between their beneficiaries.

If the deceased has a will, the executor or administrator will apply for a Grant of Probate. The grant is a legal document which confirms that the executor has the authority to deal with the deceased person's assets (property, money and belongings). This is called 'administering the estate'.

Probate :

'1942
BLOXHAM Constance of 2 and 4 Knighton Fields road west Leicester (Wife of Francis Alfred Bloxham) died 10 November 1941 Probate 10 April to Annie Arthurs Turner widow and William John Turner aircraftman RAF

1947
BLOXHAM Francis Alfred of 166 Vernon Road Leicester died 1 January 1947 at the Sundial Nursing Home 380 Aylestone Road Leicester Probate Leicester 2 May to Benjamin Charles Woolman hairdresser and Newsagent and Thomas Owen Bown bank manager'



The above struck me as unusual......would not Constance have left her worldly goods to Francis? Hmmm perhaps not all was marital bliss between these two.

Cheers for the help, I've sent the cheque to the relevant council, maybe they'll find his last resting place.

For the time he passed he would probably be in a municipal cemetery or may have beeen cremated

I have had success contacting the parks and cemeteries dept of the local council giving them the details from the death cert

In the past the search has been done FOC but I believe that some councils make a charge because of the volume of enquiries they now get

Might be useful for the addresses:-

1939 register:
Bloxham Household (2 People) 2-4 Knighton Fields Road West , Leicester C.B., Leicestershire, England

Francis A Bloxham 12 Apr 1875 Male Grocer Shop Keeper Married
Constance Bloxham 05 Feb 1880 Female Domestic Duties And Grocers Asst Married
--------------------------------------

Probate :

1942
BLOXHAM Constance of 2 and 4 Knighton Fields road west Leicester (Wife of Francis Alfred Bloxham) died 10 November 1941 Probate 10 April to Annie Arthurs Turner widow and William John Turner aircraftman RAF

1947
BLOXHAM Francis Alfred of 166 Vernon Road Leicester died 1 January 1947 at the Sundial Nursing Home 380 Aylestone Road Leicester Probate Leicester 2 May to Benjamin Charles Woolman hairdresser and Newsagent and Thomas Owen Bown bank manager
-------------------------------

Nearby cemetery:

Welford Road Cemetery and Saffron Hill Cemetery

Compared to some councils, £20 per hour is quite cheap. Many would charge that for each name with, perhaps, a reduction if it’s discovered they are all indexed in the same family plot.

As to where your Francis Bloxham is buried - first find out his last known address & the date he died. That’ll be on his DC.
Then use a map to identify the most likely local cemeteries before visiting the New Walk Centre.

laird this post by faerykingdom is 9yrs old

£20 per hour seems a bit steep, i'd like to know which of the cemeteries in Leicester my great great grandfather Francis Alfred Bloxham was buried in. He died in 1947 born 1875.

Hi again,

I contacted the Leicester Council as suggested and this is the reply I got:

“You will first of all need the names of the deceased you are looking for and the dates of death or burial/cremation. You can then either come into New Walk Centre and search the registers yourself - the fee for this is £5 per hour, or alternatively, we can conduct a search on your behalf and the fee for this is £20 per hour.”

I thought this might help others,

Vicky X

Thanks to everybody for their advice. I will contact the council.

Thanks again,

Vicky X

With Gilroes Cemetery you have to contact the council as Sam has said, there aren't any Gilroes records on a disc. While you are on the phone double check whether they still charge you £5 and hour if you go in and search for yourself, I was told that by a fellow researcher and that was quite a while ago
Elaine

http://www.remembranceonline.co.uk/mtree/2._Burial_and_Cremation/Crematoria/Gilroes_Cemetery_and_Crematorium/report/

Try contacting the Cemeteries Dept of Leicester Council:


All cemetery and crematorium matters are dealt with at our central office in New Walk Centre, Leicester.

Telephone (U.K.): 0116 252 7382/7383

Fax (U.K): 0116 222 8706

E-Mail: [email protected]

Address:

Bereavement Services Manager
New Walk Centre
Welford Place
Leicester
LE1 6ZG

Sam x

i have the national burial index second edition I cant promise the information you want is on it but I can do a search if you like
Sharon

Does anybody know how I could search Gilrose Cemetery records please? Or would I have to go to the graveyard itself?

Thanks for any help in advance,

Vicky X