Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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(which is responsible for the provision of Coroner's Courts) contributes to the City Council's costs
in regard to the Coroner's accommodation.
Details of the work undertaken at the Mortuary during the year are set out in Table 28, page 64.
BURIALS AND CREMATIONS ARRANGED BY THE CITY COUNCIL
Under the provisions of Section 50 of the National Assistance Act, 1948, it is the duty of the City
Council to cause to be buried or cremated the body of any person who has died or is found dead in
the area, if no other arrangements have been made for the disposal of the body.
The Council is empowered to recover the cost of burial from the estate of the deceased, and is
eligible to receive payments in respect of the cost of such burial from death grants payable under the
provisions of the National Insurance Act, 1946.
Where persons without known relatives die in the City, it is frequently necessary not only to arrange
for their burial, but to dispose of the contents of their homes. This is done in consultation with the
Treasury Solicitor. Such action is necessary to enable the proceeds to be applied towards the cost of
burial and also to avoid rent accruing and to release the accommodation for housing purposes as
early as possible.
During 1965, a total of 102 burials or cremations were arranged by the Health Department as
follows:—
Burials at City of Westminster Cemetery, Hanwell 33
at Paddington Cemetery, Mill Hill, N.W.7 19
at St. Marylebone Cemetery, Finchley, N.2 3
Cremations at the City Council's Crematorium, East Finchley 47
Requests for burial or cremation were received from the following sources:—
H.M. Coroner 53
Relatives or friends of the deceased 26
Hospitals in the City 23
CREMATION—WORK OF THE MEDICAL REFEREE
The Medical Officer of Health is Medical Referee for the Council's Crematorium, which is situated
at the St. Marylebone Cemetery, East Finchley. During the year 1,656 certificates authorizing
cremation were issued and since December, 1937, when the crematorium was opened, 30,537 cremations
have taken place.