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Age Number Of People 0 - 1 4 (2 months, 9 months, two others) 1 - 9 6 10 - 19 12 20 - 29 10 30 - 39 16 40 - 49 8 50 - 59 23 60 - 69 36 70 - 79 49 80 - 79 36 90 - 99 3 ( 90, 95, 95 years) Total 205 A further 24 people did not have their ages shown or their ages are no longer visible. Not unexpectedly perhaps, the most common age of death was in the seventies but there were 36 octogenarians and three nonagenarians. At the other end of the scale we might be struck by the comparatively large number of young deaths, especially teenagers. Such statistics obtained from gravestones serve to remind us of the advances in medicine and, more importantly, in hygiene, sanitation and drinking water supplies, all of which have contributed to a diminution in premature deaths. However, one should not assume that gravestone statistics give the true picture for only the better-off were commemorated in this way. Research into the church registers would give us a more accurate picture and would probably show an even worse infantile and adolescent death rate than the tombstone records. Some of the tombstones show the names of local masons or undertakers in the bottom comer. These local businesses are as follows:- Name Grave Numbers Pollard, Taunton 6 Hurford, Wembdon 60, 89, 102 Bradfield, Bridgwater 15, 61, 75 Dare, Bridgwater 70, 76, 105 Stacey, Stowey 99, 106 Occasionally one comes across intentional humour on gravestones, but there are no humorous epitaphs in Spaxton. There are only four examples of rhyming verse. (See grave numbers 11, 16, 28, 34) |
8 1 ~ 2 ~ 3 ~ 4 ~ 5 ~ 6 ~ 7 ~ 8 ~ 9 ~ 10 ~ 11 ~ 12 ~ 13 ~ 14 ~ 15 ~ 16 ~ 17 ~ 18 ~ 19 ~ 20 ~ 21 ~ 22 ~ 23 ~ 24 ~ 25 ~ 26 ~ 27 ~ 28 ~ 29 ~ 30 ~ 31 ~ 32 ~ 33 ~ 34
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