British Cemetery and Cremation Records from Deceased Online

Thanks to all of you who have responded to our regular requests to get in touch. We really value all the comments, Facebook posts, tweets and emails that you send to Deceased Online. In this week's post I look at some of the most recent comments that readers have contributed. The spectacular War Memorial at Greenwich Cemetery dominates the London skyline Four years ago I blogged about Deceased Online 's burial  records of  Greenwich Cemetery in south east London. Jackie Wealthall got in touch to say that she had visited the cemetery, and that although she had her ancestors' grave numbers, "it was impossible to find their actual graves". Thanks to Jackie for letting us know.  I have visited many churchyards and cemeteries over the years and have also been disappointed when my ancestors' graves are either unmarked or covered by brambles. One of my ancestors was remembered with a grand headstone, but unfortunately I discovered on my visit that the stone...

This week tributes are being paid across Europe and the world to those who served one hundred years ago at the Battle of the Somme. In this week's post, I look at two extraordinary men who survived both the battle and the First World War, and whose cremation records are found in the Deceased Online database. The first day of the Battle of the Somme, the 1st of July 1916, remains the bloodiest 24 hours in British military history. Those soldiers of the British Empire who went "over the top" on this day a century ago had no idea how devastating this battle would be. Tens of thousands of men walked out of their trenches and straight into German machine-gun fire. On just this one day, 19,240 were killed and around 40,000 wounded. Those that survived were left with lifelong turmoil. Musicians like Ralph Vaughan Williams and writers such as J.R.R. Tolkein would, famously, transmute their experiences through art. Others were left with "shell shock" or what we now u...

Over the next few days, Deceased Online will be adding records for the final three sites in its Calderdale Collection. In my latest post, I look further at these West Yorkshire cemeteries and their extensive records. Sowerby Bridge by Bolton Brow by Malcolm Street, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4026626ion As you may know from my first post on the Calderdale Collection and the recent update , so far records for the following cemeteries have been uploaded to the Deceased Online database : Brighouse Cemetery , Lightcliffe Road, Brighouse HD6 2HH (1874-1996) Elland Cemetery , Exley Lane, Elland HX5 0SW (1861-1996) Halifax General/ Lister Lane Cemetery , Lister Lane, Halifax (1842-1962) Luddenden Cemetery , Stocks Lane, Luddenden HX2 6PR (1860-1996) Rastrick Cemetery , Carr Green Lane, Rastrick HD6 3LT (1884-1994) The last three sites to be added are: Park Wood Crematorium , Park Road, Elland HX5 9HZ (1956-1997) Sowerby Bridg...

In honour of the recent anniversary of the D-Day Landings in Normandy, this weeks post looks at some of those who died in its preparation - giving their lives for their country. Royal Marine Commandos attached to 3rd Division move inland from Sword Beach on the Normandy coast, 6 June 1944.  Royal Marine Commandos attached to 3rd Division for the assault on Sword Beach move inland, 6 June 1944. A Churchill bridgelayer can be seen in the background. (IWM Non-commercial Licence) Last week, surviving veterans and the families of those who have died travelled to France for the annual D-Day commemorations . It is now 72 years since that fateful day, 6th June 1944 , when Allied forces invaded Normandy in Operation Overlord - the allied invasion of north-west Europe. The assault phase of the operation, Operation Neptune , was the largest seaborne invasion in history. The successful attack on German-occupied western Europe would lead, eventually, to Allied victory in May 1945. 1...

This week everyone at Deceased Online has been delighted to learn that First World War boy hero, Jack Cornwell's grave in London's Manor Park Cemetery has been awarded Grade II listed status. John Travers Cornwell, Boy 1st class (1900–1916)  by  Ambrose McEvoy 2016 marks the centenary of the Battle of Jutland , the devastating Great War naval conflict of 31st May-1st June 1916, that led to loss of  6,094 British and 2,551 German personnel. One of those lost souls was John "Jack" Travers Cornwell (1900-1916) , who had enlisted as a young teenager in 1915. Jack Cornwell was just 16 years old when he was fatally wounded during the Battle of Jutland aboard the HMS Chester . He died two days later at hospital in Grimsby, Lincolnshire.  On the day of the 31st May, HMS Chester came under heavy fire from four German ships. Despite being hit by shrapnel, Cornwell remained at his post awaiting orders. As a result of his bravery, Cornwell became celebrated acro...

The world celebrated the International Day of Families this week. In honour of the occasion, this week's post focuses on the migratory ancestors we encounter in our genealogical research. The United Nations' (UN)'s International Day of Families has been held annually on May 15th since 1993. The Day demonstrates the UN's belief in the importance of families: "Families remain at the centre of social life ensuring the well-being of their members, educating and socializing children and youth and caring for young and old." For the UN, "family-oriented policies can contribute to  . . . doing away with poverty and hunger, ensuring healthy lives and promoting of well-being for all ages, ensuring educational opportunities throughout the lifespan and achieving gender equality." Families are, of course, central to family history research. Genealogy searches can be complicated by the division of families as members moved away - sometimes to the other side o...

This week Deceased Online adds records from three more cemeteries in its Calderdale Collection. The latest cemeteries are all market towns in West Yorkshire. In this week's blog I explore further the history of the area, touching on the collapse of the textile industry and its effects regionally. View of Elland by Dave59 at English Wikipedia - Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons by Mtaylor848 using CommonsHelper., CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7497912 As I wrote in my introductory post on the Calderdale Collection , this borough of former mill towns, moorland and waterways lies at the foothills of the Pennine Hills. Until the late 20th century, its economic life was dominated by textile industries. Calderdale comprises small towns whose cotton, worsted and wool mills were powered across the centuries by the fast-running waters of the River Calder. The latest additions to the Deceased Online database are for the cemeteries of Elland, Ludden...