Search Kent, Funeral Directors Registers 1909-1939

Each record includes a transcript. While details can vary for each record, you can expect to find a combination of the following facts:

• Name
• Death year
• Death date
• Year of burial
• Burial date
• Age at death
• Birth year
• Abode
• Place
• Additional notes

These records are brought to you with thanks to North West Kent Family History Society, who have provided the following information about the record set -
The Funeral Directors Mackney & Sons had two parlours in Dartford, Kent, the main one at 74 Lowfield Street and the second at East Hill, catering to a wide area. A variety of coffins and services were provided at varying prices. The record set contains the transcriptions from six books dated from 1909 to 1935. The first three books dated 1909 to 1934 are almost certainly from Lowfield Street.

During the early years many bodies were removed from Rotherhithe and buried in the Dartford area. In the 1880’s a wharf was built in Rotherhithe to convey smallpox victims, by ship, to Long Reach Hospital Ships, moored on the River Thames, at Dartford. Presumably the bodies that were removed from Rotherhithe by Mackney’s had died in the hospital before being transported to Long Reach.

During the 1914-1918 war Mackney’s arranged funerals for German P.O.W.’s and Australian airmen. In 1919 there was a flu epidemic in Dartford, so it was most likely that the Germans and Australians died from flu and not war wounds. Between April and September 1919 coffins for 28 German P.O.W.’s were provided.

In November 1919 the first Cremation is mentioned.

Between November 1919 and 1920 many very young children died at Bow Arrow Hospital, one of the many hospitals in the Dartford area. It was founded in 1893 by the Urban Sanitary Authority of Dartford & the Guardians of the Poor of Dartford Union and had 88 beds. By the 1919 it took in cases of infectious diseases, especially children.

In book 2, 1920 onwards, the initials K.E.H. appear regularly and these refer to King Edward Hospital, which was situated on King Edward Avenue, West Hill, Dartford. It was another founded pre 1914 by the Guardians of the Poor and was free with exceptional facilities available. At the onset of the National Health Service, it was renamed West Hill Hospital.

Totals of the year of 1924 for the East Hill Ledger were 246 Elm coffins, 21 Oak coffins (more expensive than Elm!) 2 cremations and 46 children, who were often buried in white coffins. Also at the end of each year were pages titled “Trade” and these names were at the top of several pages: Mr Action of South Darenth; Mr Bates; Mr Crittenden; Mr Bond; Miss Branton, who was one of the Dartford Guardians of the Poor; Mr Standen and Mr Grimsey who were Parish Councillors. It is thought that these people helped families who couldn’t afford the funeral fees. Mackney’s also hired out their vehicles to a Mr Hewitt and a Mr Randall on a regular basis.

Quite a few families, when very young children (e.g. still born – 1 hour etc.) died, paid in monthly instalments of around one shilling or two shillings and sixpence, often for as long as a year, and some never paid the full amount or nothing at all!

In 1909 the average cost of a funeral with an Elm coffin, Brassed furniture, 2 S.H. Broms, Church and the Minister’s fee was about £12. By the 1920’s the average was up to £20 or over. The burial of a prominent person cost almost £40. In 1930 a child’s burial would cost around £5 and an adult burial hadn’t raised much from up to £20.

Until the 1920’s all the vehicles were pulled by horse and this continued for many more years with some Funerals using a combination of horse drawn and motorised vehicles. It was interesting to see the invoices for coffins, coffin furniture, French polish, straw, hay, bran and oats, horseshoes, leather items, items connected to bridles and harness, all dated between 1926 and 1927.
What is surprising about the Ledgers was the lack of conformity in the recording. For instance, in Books 2 and 3 no dates of funerals are given and quite often no address of the deceased. Grave numbers are only given to 1919. In quite a lot of entries the place of burial isn’t recorded. Presumably the undertakers had a diary recording who was being buried, where, when and at what time. An address would have been necessary to enable them to pick up the mourners.

There is an office in the Watling Street Cemetery that has maps showing graves and grave numbers for East Hill, Stone and Watling Street cemeteries in the Dartford area.

S.H. - Single Horse
Brom - Brougham
C & P - Capping & Plinth (for coffin)
C.B.Brom - Coffin Box Brougham
C.B. Coach - Coffin Box Coach
Motor Brom (Brougham)

Hospitals in Dartford

K.E.H. - King Edward Hospital later West Hill
L.H. - Livingstone Hospital (on East Hill)
B.A. - Bow Arrow Hospital (off Bow Arrow Lane)
Orchard - Given to Australians in 1915 and used by German P.O.W. Joyce
Green - Near the river Thames
Stone House - A Psychiatric Hospital
Darenth Industrial - Later Darenth Park Hospital for people with physical or mental disabilities

Cemeteries – Graveyards other than churchyards

E.H. - East Hill Cemetery
W.S. - Watling Street Cemetery
Stone Cemetery - St. Mary’s churchyard closed in the 19th century so Dartford Rural District Council opened a Community Cemetery in St. James Lane, Stone