Customs surrounding suicide.....

[tishgibbons]

Hi Folks,

this might sound odd, but generations back, in Ireland, suicide was a taboo subject. So much so, that it was never written on death certificates nor referred to publicly. I think it might also have been regarded as a sin by the Church and a suicide could not be buried in consecrated ground, so that was that! In some families, such was the strength of feeling, that the bereaved relatives often sold up and moved away. This tradition still existed in the travelling community up to recent years where they burnt their caravan or tent and moved to another site.

Was there similar feeling in Scotland? The reason I ask is that I have been given copies of obituaries for one of my relatives who died in 1899 and they quite openly mention suicide as a distinct possibility and refer to the deceased's depression. As I have had difficulty tracing his ancestors I am wondering would they have moved away abruptly because of the manner of his death and would it have been enough to make anyone change their name? I'm being a little bit circumspect here with details, just in case I upset anyone.

Tish

[pinkshoes]

Sorry I can't help you Tish, but I'd be interested in an answer to this one too. I have a horrible death in 1865 (cut throat) and the local newspaper reports it as suicide. As the supposed reason for this was poverty, there's no chance of finding a headstone, but it occurred to me he may not have been buried in the churchyard anyway? I'm not 100% sure of his religion but I suspect he was Catholic - no idea if that would influence anything or not.

[tishgibbons]

Thanks anyway pinkshoes,

The Catholicism might be a factor alright - it certainly was here. Not sure about Scotland though but if it's the same it might explain why this relatively well to do family just disappeared! I had read about your 'cut throat' in another post - sounds gruesome.

Tish