View report page

31. MORTUARY AND BURIAL ARRANGEMENTS
Public Mortuary
The public mortuary is situated in Petersfield Road, Acton, W.3. and has a
capacity for 40 bodies. The Council is responsible for providing mortuary accommodation
when death occurs in the borough in certain circumstances. These are firstly,
when death follows an accident, and secondly, when the cause of death is unknown
and the Coroner decrees that a post mortem examination shall be carried out by a
Home Office Pathologist.
During the year various improvements were made to the Mortuary. These include
greater facilities for funeral directors to load and unload bodies in conditions of
privacy, and improved office accommodation for pathologist's secretaries and
coroner's officers. An additional post-mortem table has been provided.

One full-time mortuary attendant is employed and arrangements are made with
the London Borough of Hammersmith for bodies to be received there when he is absent
for any reason.
Burial or Cremation of the Dead - National Assistance Act, 1948. Section 50
Burial or cremation of the dead is arranged by the Council when relatives of a
deceased person are unable to afford the cost, or when no relative can be found, or
no previous provision has been made by the deceased. The Council is required to
make these arrangements if the death takes place within the borough, whether or not
the home address is within that area. Application is made to the Ministry of Social
Security and the appropriate death grant obtained, and any monies due from insurance
policies on the life of the deceased are taken by the Council to offset the cost of the
burial or cremation. Any balance remaining after meeting costs is passed to relatives
if they are found. There were 9 burials and 2 cremations carried out during the year.
115