It was very common practice in Wales for the interment or cremation to be
'Men only', though normally at a service at a church, chapel, or funeral
home beforehand ladies would be present. It was not the practice for
children to attend. Thinking back I can recall men-only funerals in the late
1970s, but by the mid-1980s the tradition seems to have changed, though as
in all social customs there was probably a gradual change as the percentages
of men-only interments or cremations decreased.
My wife's family from England were not familiar with a men-only tradition,
so it may have been distinctively Welsh.
Jeff
----- Original Message -----
From: Diehard <diehard1967(a)shaw.ca>
To: <WLS-SWANSEA-L(a)rootsweb.com>
Sent: Monday, October 21, 2002 2:08 AM
Subject: [Swansea] William John Davies
Hi list, My GGramps died some time in the 1970's, I was a kid and
a girl,
I remember my great nanna wasn't allowed to go to his funeral because
she
was a woman, at least thats what they told me at the time, anyway are there
any on line newspaper archives where I could look for obituaries, he lived
in Llanelli when he died, are there many churches in Llanelli, ones that
don't allow women, (whatever religion that is), oops I made a mistake, they
lived at 75 Culfor Road, Loughor. So does anyone know of a church near
there, that would be a start cause I'm hoping his parents were mentioned on
his gravestone, and as I live in Canada now, I'm also hoping someone who
lives in Loughor might like to take a walk to the church yard on the next
sunny day, maybe the dog needs a walk or something. I don't want to put
anyone out, any little bit of help is greatly appreciated. Here's the info.
William John DAVIES, born 1890, died 1970something,
husband of Annie Boston DOWNES, of course it may say Ann DAVIES, She might
be there
with him, but he died first, she died in the 1980's sometime. sorry
bout the length thing again.
Dianne in Canada,
Yorkshire born and bred.