British Cemetery and Cremation Records from Deceased Online

Last week's competition to win copies of Darren Beach's London's Cemeteries has proved to be something of  a challenge. Happily, we do have two winners. They have been notified and their copies of London's Cemeteries (pictured) are winging their way to them.   This week, I have been speaking with Darren, who has been telling me all about his interest in cemeteries and the inspiration behind his book. I'll be featuring the interview with him on this blog next week. The correct answers to last week's competition are: Q1. Which of Beatrix Potter's great literary characters is said to have been inspired by a memorial in Brompton Cemetery?  Answer: Squirrel Nutkin - it is believed that the memorial below inspired Beatrix Potter to choose the name. As we discovered on visits to the cemetery, squirrels are rife in Brompton Cemetery, along with birds, foxes, and other wildlife. Q2. Name the sugar merchant, philanthropist and founder

This week Deceased Online adds 19 th century Brompton Cemetery burial records   We are very pleased that the first set of records from Brompton Cemetery is now on the database . 65,000 records were uploaded this week. They include coverage of the first three decades: 1840 to the early 1870s. The original registers are held at The National Archives in Kew but are only available as scans online through Deceased Online .  The Central Avenue of Brompton Cemetery Brompton Cemetery is famous for being one of the ‘Magnificent Seven’ of London’s 19 th century private cemeteries. By 1832, the burial grounds of London had become overcrowded and breeding grounds for disease. To counter the problem, Parliament passed bills allowing the creation of commercial cemeteries in the more rural suburbs of the City. In response, private cemetery companies built the following seven cemeteries over the next nine years: Kensal Green Cemetery (established 1832) West Norwood Cemetery (

This week we have added 1,219 records from Peterborough Cathedral to the Deceased Online database. Peterborough Cathedral is one of the most beautiful and historically significant Norman buildings in Britain. The site of the Cathedral dates back to 655 AD, but the foundations of the current building were laid in 1118. Although some of the latest release dates from the 12 th century, the complete records begin in 1615. See the database coverage section for more information. The earliest records for Peterborough Cathedral on Deceased Online are for the early Abbots in the 12th Century although there is an image for 'The Monk's Stone', dating from 870 AD, believed to be the earliest record on Deceased Online. The West Front of Peterborough Cathedral The Cathedral has strong royal connections, being the original burial place of two queens. Henry VIII’s first wife, Catherine of Aragon (then referred to as the ‘Princess Dowager’) died in Kimbolton Castle on Fr