Children "above arms" or "under arms"...

Post by **SarahND** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 11:50 pm

Hello all,
I was plodding through a reel of death records at NRH this afternoon and kept seeing the terms "above arms" or "under arms" to refer to a child's death, e.g.

Ann Nicol a child in Old Aberdeen under arms was buried in the churchyard 23d March 1774

Jean Hector a child above arms from Whitestripes was buried in the churchyard 21st April 1774

I'm sure some of you must know what this refers to

Thanks,
Sarah

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 12:07 am

Hi Sarah
Not one I've come across, but interesting...and its been asked before elsewhere....
http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/AB ... 0946601886
http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/YO ... 1151281474
- with not really a satisfatory answer in either case, but I note the first one was also Aberdeen area.

The only other thing that is popping into my head is of is someone's coat of arms, which perhaps marks a notable point in the cemetery ...but I can't quite see how this would relevant to what you have found really. Mind is also wandering to mortsafes for protection against grave robbers & etc - but why would you bury someone above it...?

I'll keep looking!

Best wishes
Lesley

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 12:26 am

A poster here suggests it may be to do with ages - "babe in arms" type thing I suppose? I note again it is Aberdeen....
http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/AB ... 1007670923

Post by **emanday** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 12:31 am

It might also refer to the method of transportation to the graveyard.

A small child would be carried in the arms of a relative, while an older child might be carried on a litter by two or four relatives, sometimes on the shoulders.

Post by **emanday** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 2:16 am

As a wee example, this extract from a "Price List" of Burial charges for Stirling...

http://talkingscot.com/gallery/displayi ... p?pos=-849 (sorry about the quality - too much red wine

)

The last entry is quite suited to the Halloween season as well

momat · Post by **momat** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 3:30 am

I did a "Google" and several come up.
It sounds like it is one for the Clergy to answer here,
Is there is such on the Forum?

DavidWW · Post by **DavidWW** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 8:22 am

momat wrote:I did a "Google" and several come up.
It sounds like it is one for the Clergy to answer here,
Is there is such on the Forum?

A pure guess, but, like one of the Aberdeen posts, I think that it could refer to the postion in the lair in relation to previous burials in that lair.

David

Post by **SarahND** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 8:49 am

Thanks for all the ideas. I also had googled, of course

and it seemed that no one really knew, but all were guessing. Interesting that it is all in Aberdeen... I'm off to that part of the country today, so will let you know if I get an answer (unless one of the Aberdeen TS members comes up with it first!)
Regards,
Sarah

Post by **AnneM** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 10:47 am

A very wild guess but could above arms be legitimate and under arms be illegitimate for some reason.

Anne

Or could the burial be of the mother and the child be born or unborn???

Anyone else's guess is as good as mine.

Post by **SarahND** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 11:09 am

AnneM wrote:Or could the burial be of the mother and the child be born or unborn???

I thought this too, that it might be the mother with an unnamed infant, but some of them had male names

k

Sarah, who was supposed to be on the road an hour ago