Raunds Obituary in 1931

We have pleasure in publishing the following account dealing with Raunds obituary during the past year, which has been forwarded to us by Mr Henry Hazeldine, of 7, Coleman-street, Raunds, who has for many years past prepared such interesting lists and information.

Mr Hazeldine writes:-

The passing for the year 1931, in the order of their decease, is as follows:

Forename	Surname	Notes	Aged
Mrs S	Manning	Hull (omitted last year)	49
Mrs A	Webb		43
William	Lawrence		51
Joseph	Eaton		50
T	York	New Town	81
Mrs J	Burton	Bass’s Yard	76
Ekin	Cole	Molesworth HUN	80
James	Asberry		76
Elizabeth	Lawrence		71
Mrs	Shrubbs	Relict of Joseph Shrubbs	64
Susan	Pell		78
Joseph	Norris	Tragic accident on the road	42
Elizabeth	Adams	At Kettering, relict of Owen Adams	73
Mrs A	Ward	Interred at Addington	75
Mrs E	Terry		80
Mrs	Brown		79
Thomas	Clark	Rushden (father of C W Clarke, Kettering)	85
Tom	Cobley		19
Mrs	Andrews		80
Ellen	Pack	Higham Ferrers, maiden name Coles	68
Robinson	Burton	Oldest inhabitant	90
Mrs J	Turner		64
Frederick	Hollis		72
John Henry	Nunley	At Higham Ferrers	59
John	Curtis		82
Elizabeth	Warner	(Bessie)	63
Mrs	Lovell	Relict of Owen Lovell	79
Samuel	Pentelow	Australia, born at Raunds Windmill	62
Eliza	Britten		68
William	Gamble		72
Hugh	Edwards		42
James	Knighton		22
John Henry	Blott		68
Fred	Jacquest	Kettering	73
Edith	Burgin		23
Mrs F	Manning	Vicarage Farm	58
Mrs	Johnson		78
Mrs S	Smith		50
Frederick	Asberry		65
William	Gilbert		81
John	Black		84
Elizabeth	Knighton		80
George P	Nash		87

According to report, over 400 interments have taken place at the cemetery since it was opened in 1917; that of the late Dr Mackenzie, the medical practitioner, was the first.

The Wesleyan burial ground is 118 years old. The first interment was in 1813, the year after the old chapel was erected. The tombstone of a member of the Ekins family, “Thorpe House,” Raunds, can be seen today, sculptured with a weeping willow and the setting sun, in the Ekins row in the centre of the ground. Just before the present chapel was built in 1874, the Trustees secured some adjoining land, and enlarged it to double the size but is now practically closed. There is space for a few more years for Methodist adherents and family relations at the bottom of the new ground, south side of the path, to correspond with the other side, which is filled down to the back of the chapel.

Another disused burial ground belongs to the Society of Friends (commonly known as Quakers) in Thorpe-street, fenced in by a wall with a door leading into the street. I suppose it will always be in their hands; money could not buy it. The names are recorded in their books of those interred there. After the Quakers vacated the Meeting House, it was occupied by Mr John Sanders, currier and leather merchant, who also had a grocery business in a house adjoining, which is standing to-day with the letter box let in the wall. I well remember the Meeting House when in possession of Mr Sanders. His sons were my schoolmates. I have been in it many times; it would seat from 150 to 200, and my father went to the meetings. In 1880 it was demolished, and four cottages now stand on the site, the end one of which is the graveyard.

Baptists’ Ground
The Baptists have a burial ground on one side of the chapel built in 1837, but in consequence of its proximity to the public street it was closed nearly 60 years ago. There are tablets on the chapel outside, but there is only one tombstone, of a member of the Coles family. James and Kezia Coles who lived in Cherry Orchard Land, had a son who died of consumption when a young man.

Cremation is a new method for the disposal of the dead and many people to-day give instruction in their wills to this effect. It may try the faith of the bereaved who mourn and cling to the original method but it only a question whether the body should return to its natural elements in five minutes or twenty years if placed in the earth. Our bodies change ten times in a full life-time. The Scripture says “Fear not them that kill the body, but are not able kill the soul.”

The poet says:-

“Life is real, life is earnest; And the grave is not its goal, Dust though art to dust returnest, Was not spoken of the Soul.”

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