Was your ancestor cremated at the Manchester Crematorium? Discover your ancestor’s cremation date and obituary.
These records were provided by Manchester & Lancashire Family History Society and are transcribed obituaries and narratives from newspapers and Manchester Crematorium memorial plaques. The year range represented in these transcripts is 1818 to 2001.
Full name
Sex
Year
Cremation date
Narrative, which often includes death dates and next of kin
Place
County
Country
Source
Due to the prevailing Christian belief that cremation was a pagan act and would make resurrection impossible, cremation was banned for several centuries in the UK. It was finally made legal in1885, but the stigma remained for many decades after. A major turning point in the public perception of cremation came after the Pope, in 1963, lifted the ban on Roman Catholics desiring cremations.
The Manchester Crematorium, located on Barlow Moor Road, was opened in 1892. It was the second crematorium to be opened in the UK.
During the blitz of Christmas 1940, the crematorium registers were destroyed. However, details have been recovered from the crematorium memorials and subsequently published by the Manchester and Lancashire Family History Society.
The Manchester and Lancashire Family History Society was established in 1964. It is one of the oldest family history societies in England. Its research is focused on the Greater Manchester area. You can learn more about this society by following the link in the Useful Links & Resources section.