St. Machar's question

[speleobat2]

Who would be buried at St. Machar's? Since it's a cathedral, could anyone outside the immediate congregation be buried there?

I'm looking for the burial sites of my Clerihew relatives from the 1850's on. So far nothing has shown up in the Nellfield records on the Scotland North cd or in the monumental inscription index of ANESFHS. They lived in the Old Machar district exclusively from about 1851 on.

Also, how do you pronounce Machar? Is it with a ch or k sound?

Carol

[SarahND]

Hi Carol,
Some of the TS members will know more, but I have relatives buried in St Machar's who were Episcopalian and therefore apparently not part of the congregation, although they were living in the neighbourhood.

Also, how do you pronounce Machar? Is it with a ch or k sound?

Neither, if I interpret your spelling correctly. The "ch" is the same as the last sound in "loch" or the German name "Bach" when they are pronounced natively. I hope you know what I mean... otherwise I will have to start talking about raising the back of your tongue for a "k" but not quite making full contact, etc. and Russell will be on my case (Just kidding, Russell ) But let me know if you don't know what I mean about loch and Bach.
All the best,
Sarah

[AndrewP]

Hi Carol,

I believe that as well as being a cathedral, St Machar was the parish church for the area, therefore anyone living within the parish would have had the right to be buried there.

All the best,

AndrewP

[speleobat2]

Thanks to everyone!

I was pronouncing it all three ways and driving sister crazy. Now I can tell her that I was correct one third of the time!

Next question on burials, are they any records available for the burials at St. Machar's? Online? I haven't found them anywhere yet.

Carol

[AndrewP]

There are burials in the OPRs for Old Machar Parish (the revised name for St Machar after the parish of New Machar was raised - according to an article online about New Machar). As the OPR burials are not online on ScotlandsPeople, you will need to view them on the microfilms at an LDS Family History Centre.

The quality of burial information in the OPRs is variable, so don't count on finding good information.

All the best,

AndrewP

[SarahND]

Just a note to say I did find the Old Machar burials I was looking for (1830's and 1840's) in the OPR films when I was in Edinburgh last October. So it might be worthwhile ordering them at your local LDS Family History Center to check.
Regards,
Sarah

[Archiver]

Burial registers for Oldmachar burial ground can be found at Aberdeen City Archives - however, I think they start in the 1860s, which may be slightly too late. Various people are buried in Oldmachar (though it's called Oldmachar, it is the site at St Machar cathedral!) including some residents of poorhouses.

[speleobat2]

Archiver,

I found a post from last year which said that the Aberdeen City archives could be emailed for information about the lair registers for Nellfield. The address was: archives@aberdeencity.gov.uk. Do you know if this is still valid? Would it cover St. Machar's too?

The 1860's might be ok. We know that my great, great grandparents were deceased by 1868. However, my great grandparents had two young children die in the mid 1870's and my great grandmother Clerihew didn't die until 1907. I can't find a date of death for my great grandfather Clerihew at all, but suspect that it was sometime before 1917 as that is when the last of his children followed her sister and brothers to the USA.

Thanks for the information,

Carol

[Archiver]

Hello,

Yes, that email is still valid! A research service is offered if you can't make it yourself, but there is a fee. It's totally free to go and look yourself though!

Good luck!