Mysterious friends

[Twix]

One of my something x great grandmothers died as an elderly woman in the workhouse in 1893, and her entry in the workhouse records states that she was "buried by friends" in the local cemetery nearby.

This has always puzzled me. She certainly had living children locally at the time of her death. I don't know whether to take this literally, in that a group of her friends paid for her burial, perhaps because her family couldn't afford it, or were estranged, or whether a religious group of 'Friends' - as in Quakers - perhaps, buried her?

According to her record, she was a Baptist, although this is the only source for that information. Is the Quaker idea a possibility do you think? And if so, why would that be?

Many thanks!

 

[Mealymoo]

"buried by friends"

I think it means her burial was paid for by friends or family, i.e. not the parish.

 

[Twix]

Thanks Mealymoo ... so that, then, begs the question (for me at least) - why was she in the workhouse if she had friends and/or family who could afford to bury her?

Over the course of the last few years of her life, she was admitted several times, and from memory the last time when she died, she'd been there for a while.

I wonder why no-one was able or willing to look after her? Of course, I realise there could be many reasons - just wish I knew what they were!

 

[Mealymoo]

Twix, often people were in the Workhouse due to illness. Take a peek here

http://www.
workhouses.org.uk/life/entry.shtml

 

[dizzyme]

Could she have been in the hospital side of the workhouse?

Edit: Great minds think alike Mealy Lol

 

[Twix]

Thank you - that's very possible. I can't remember for sure what her death certificate said but I have a feeling it just said old age, or something like that. I'll have to find it and refresh my memory.

 

[Sandiep]

life was very hard in those days and families often couldn't afford to look after their elderly relatives..........there were not any benefits or pensions then

 

[Joanne]

Looking after the elderly is not always easy, even if in "good health"

 

[Twix]

Thank you - yes, sadly I know this from current experiences with our elderly relatives who are going through some very serious health issues at the moment. It's very difficult even now. Goodness knows what it must have been like back then.

My ancestor was in the workhouse during a period where the sanitation was very bad, it was overcrowded, and mis-managed. I shudder to think what she went through.