PROGRESS OF CREMATION IN ENGLAND & WALES
SCOTLAND AND N. IRELAND 1885-2005
Year
No. of
ENGLAND & WALES
SCOTLAND
N. IRELAND
UNITED KINGDOM
crematoria
in United
Kingdom
Number
of
Cremations
%age
Number
of
Cremations
%age
Number
of
Cremations
%age
Number
of
Cremations
%age
1
522,750
3
-
74,607
-
-
-
-
-
597,357
3
-
1886
1
537,276
10
-
73,640
-
-
-
-
-
610,916
10
-
1887
1
530,758
13
-
74,546
-
-
-
-
-
605,304
13
-
1888
1
510,971
28
0.01
71,174
-
-
-
-
-
582,145
28
-
1889
1
518,353
46
0.01
73,238
-
-
-
-
-
591,591
46
0.01
1890
1
562,248
54
0.01
79,004
-
-
-
-
-
641,252
54
0.01
1891
1
587,925
99
0.02
83,573
-
-
-
-
-
671,498
99
0.01
1892
2
559,684
107
0.02
75,545
-
-
-
-
-
635,229
107
0.02
1893
2
569,958
131
0.02
79,670
-
-
-
-
-
649,628
131
0.02
1894
2
498,827
172
0.03
71,113
-
-
-
-
-
569,940
172
0.03
1895
3
568,997
208
0.04
81,852
1
-
-
-
-
650,849
209
0.03
1896
4
526,727
191
0.04
70,677
10
0.01
-
-
-
597,404
201
0.03
1897
4
541,487
234
0.04
79,144
16
0.02
-
-
-
620,631
250
0.04
1898
4
552,141
329
0.06
78,397
12
0.02
-
-
-
630,538
341
0.05
1899
4
581,799
351
0.06
79,593
16
0.02
-
-
-
661,392
367
0.06
1900
4
587,830
424
0.07
83,296
20
0.02
-
-
-
670,126
444
0.07
Year
No. of
ENGLAND & WALES
SCOTLAND
N. IRELAND
UNITED KINGDOM
crematoria
in United
Kingdom
Number
of
Cremations
%age
Number
of
Cremations
%age
Number
of
Cremations
%age
Number
of
Cremations
%age
1901
6
551,585
427
0.08
80,107
18
0.02
-
-
-
631,692
445
0.07
1902
8
535,538
431
0.08
77,941
20
0.03
-
-
-
613,479
451
0.07
1903
9
514,628
453
0.09
76,002
24
0.03
-
-
-
590,630
477
0.08
1904
11
549,784
550
0.1
77,981
19
0.02
-
-
-
627,765
569
0.09
1905
13
520,031
569
0.1
74,536
35
0.05
-
-
-
594,567
604
0.10
1906
13
531,281
699
0.1
75,635
44
0.06
-
-
-
606,916
743
0.12
1907
13
524,221
677
0.1
77,296
30
0.04
-
-
-
601,517
707
0.12
1908
13
520,456
767
0.1
77,838
28
0.04
-
-
-
598,294
795
0.13
1909
13
518,003
825
0.2
74,632
30
0.04
-
-
-
592,635
855
0.14
1910
13
483,247
812
0.2
72,268
28
0.04
-
-
-
555,515
840
0.15
1911
13
527,810
984
0.2
71,732
39
0.05
-
-
-
599,542
1,023
0.17
1912
13
486,939
1,090
0.2
72,340
44
0.06
-
-
-
559,279
1,134
0.20
1913
13
504,975
1,139
0.2
73,069
49
0.07
-
-
-
578,044
1,188
0.21
1914
13
516,742
1,222
0.2
73,557
57
0.08
-
-
-
590,299
1,279
0.22
1915
14
562,253
1,347
0.2
81,631
63
0.08
-
-
-
643,884
1,410
0.22
1916
14
508,217
1,295
0.3
70,640
65
0.09
-
-
-
578,857
1,360
0.23
1917
14
498,922
1,444
0.3
69,483
65
0.09
-
-
-
568,405
1,509
0.27
1918
14
611,861
1,721
0.3
78,372
74
0.09
-
-
-
690,233
1,795
0.26
1919
14
504,203
1,947
0.3
75,149
84
0.11
-
-
-
579,352
2,031
0.35
1920
14
466,130
1,716
0.3
69,179
80
0.12
-
-
-
534,309
1,796
0.34
Year
No. of
ENGLAND & WALES
SCOTLAND
N. IRELAND
UNITED KINGDOM
crematoria
in United
Kingdom
Number
of
Cremations
%age
Number
of
Cremations
%age
Number
of
Cremations
%age
Number
of
Cremations
%age
1921
14
458,629
1,905
0.4
66,210
87
0.13
-
-
-
524,839
1,992
0.38
1922
15
486,780
1,934
0.3
72,905
75
0.10
-
-
-
559,685
2,009
0.36
1923
15
444,785
1,896
0.4
63,238
90
0.14
-
-
-
508,068
1,986
0.39
1924
16
473,235
2,848
0.6
70,357
87
0.12
-
-
-
543,592
2,935
0.54
1925
16
472,841
2,585
0.5
65,507
116
0.18
-
-
-
538,348
2,701
0.50
1926
16
453,804
2,779
0.6
63,780
98
0.15
-
-
-
517,584
2,877
0.56
1927
16
484,609
3,136
0.6
65,830
129
0.20
-
-
-
550,439
3,265
0.59
1928
18
460,389
3,295
0.7
65,271
141
0.22
-
-
-
525,660
3,436
0.65
1929
19
532,492
4,149
0.7
70,917
192
0.27
-
-
-
603,409
4,341
0.72
1930
21
455,427
4,287
0.9
64,285
246
0.38
-
-
-
519,712
4,533
0.87
1931
22
491,630
4,868
0.9
64,229
327
0.51
-
-
-
555,859
5,195
0.93
1932
24
484,129
5,884
1.2
66,045
431
0.65
-
-
-
550,174
6,315
1.15
1933
24
496,465
6,910
1.3
64,848
561
0.87
-
-
-
561,313
7,471
1.33
1934
28
476,810
7,608
1.5
63,741
729
1.14
-
-
-
540,551
8,337
1.54
1935
29
477,401
8,766
1.8
65,331
848
1.30
-
-
-
542,732
9,614
1.77
1936
33
495,764
10,205
2.0
66,749
1,084
1.62
-
-
-
562,513
11,289
2.01
1937
38
509,574
12,666
2.4
68,942
1,463
2.12
-
-
-
578,516
14,129
2.44
1938
47
478,996
14,555
3.0
62,953
1,757
2.79
-
-
-
541,949
16,312
3.01
1939
54
499,902
17,670
3.7
64,413
2,143
3.33
-
-
-
564,315
19,813
3.51
1940
56
581,537
22,336
3.8
72,775
3,863
5.31
-
-
-
654,312
25,175
3.85
Year
No. of
ENGLAND & WALES
SCOTLAND
N. IRELAND
UNITED KINGDOM
crematoria
in United
Kingdom
Number
of
Cremations
%age
Number
of
Cremations
%age
Number
of
Cremations
%age
Number
of
Cremations
%age
1941
57
535,180
22,834
4.2
72,558
3,387
4.67
-
-
-
607,738
26,221
4.31
1942
57
480,137
24,786
5.1
64,963
3,741
5.76
-
-
-
545,100
28,527
5.23
1943
58
501,412
29,956
5.9
66,733
4,303
6.45
-
-
-
568,145
34,259
6.03
1944
58
492,176
34,459
7.0
64,603
4,557
7.05
-
-
-
556,779
39,016
7.01
1945
58
488,108
38,274
7.8
62,655
4,689
7.48
-
-
-
550,763
42,963
7.80
1946
58
492,090
44,868
9.1
64,605
5,292
8.19
-
-
-
556,695
50,160
9.01
1947
58
517,615
55,197
10.6
66,200
5,963
9.01
-
-
-
583,815
61,160
10.48
1948
58
469,898
57,965
14.9
60,979
6,323
10.37
-
-
-
530,877
64,288
12.11
1949
58
510,736
72,579
14.2
63,488
7,028
11.07
-
-
-
574,224
79,607
13.86
1950
58
510,301
81,633
15.9
63,996
7,924
12.38
-
-
-
574,297
89,558
15.59
1951
59
549,380
98,113
17.8
65,778
9,046
13.75
-
-
-
615,158
107,152
17.42
1952
63
497,484
98,602
19.8
61,510
9,097
14.79
-
-
-
558,994
107,699
19.27
1953
68
503,529
107,578
21.3
58,878
9,150
15.54
-
-
-
562,407
116,729
20.76
1954
74
501,896
115,305
22.9
61,380
10,216
16.64
-
-
-
563,276
125,521
22.28
1955
82
518,864
130,060
25.0
61,645
11,293
18.32
-
-
-
580,509
141,353
24.35
1956
99
521,331
141,826
27.2
61,792
11,462
18.55
-
-
-
583,123
153,238
26.29
1957
108
514,870
151,059
29.3
61,143
12,299
20.12
-
-
-
576,013
163,358
28.36
1958
120
526,843
166,256
31.5
62,065
13,819
22.27
-
-
-
588,908
180,071
30.58
1959
131
527,651
175,864
33.3
63,061
14,955
23.72
-
-
-
590,712
190,878
32.31
1960
148
526,268
188,294
35.7
61,764
15,725
25.46
-
-
-
588,032
204,019
34.70
Year
No. of
ENGLAND & WALES
SCOTLAND
N. IRELAND
UNITED KINGDOM
crematoria
in United
Kingdom
Number
of
Cremations
%age
Number
of
Cremations
%age
Number
of
Cremations
%age
Number
of
Cremations
%age
1961
161
551,752
207,146
37.5
63,928
17,414
27.24
-
-
-
615,680
224,560
36.47
1962
172
557,636
222,594
39.9
63,189
17,995
28.48
-
-
-
620,825
240,610
38.76
1963
177
572,868
241,181
42.1
65,521
20,157
30.76
-
-
-
638,389
261,338
40.94
1964
182
534,737
236,045
44.1
61,039
19,568
32.06
-
-
-
595,776
255,613
42.90
1965
184
549,379
250,236
45.5
62,868
20,894
33.23
-
-
-
612,247
271,130
44.28
1966
196
563,624
271,604
48.1
63,689
22,450
35.25
-
-
-
627,313
294,138
46.89
1967
199
542,516
272,061
50.1
59,523
22,223
37.34
-
-
-
602,039
294,366
48.89
1968
203
576,754
303,394
52.6
63,311
24,523
38.73
-
-
-
640,065
327,901
51.23
1969
204
579,378
313,074
54.0
63,821
26,022
40.77
-
-
-
643,199
339,096
52.72
1970
206
575,194
327,127
56.8
63,640
26,854
42.20
-
-
-
638,834
353,957
55.41
1971
211
567,262
328,160
57.8
61,614
26,863
43.60
-
-
-
628,876
354,803
56.42
1972
211
591,605
346,967
58.6
78,550
28,806
36.60
-
-
-
656,906
375,773
57.20
1973
214
587,696
354,309
60.9
64,545
29,835
46.22
-
-
-
652,023
384,144
58.92
1974
216
585,292
358,645
61.3
64,740
30,568
47.21
-
-
-
650,032
389,213
59.88
1975
218
582,841
364,340
62.5
63,125
30,692
48.62
-
-
-
645,976
394,909
61.13
1976
218
598,516
381,264
63.7
65,253
32,448
49.72
-
-
-
663,769
413,722
62.33
1977
218
595,928
374,142
62.78
62,294
31,587
50.71
-
-
-
638,222
405,730
63.57
1978
218
585,901
382,436
65.27
65,123
33,679
51.72
-
-
-
651,024
416,049
63.91
1979
219
593,019
390,000
65.76
65,747
34,158
51.95
-
-
-
658,766
424,158
64.39
1980
220
581,385
387,296
66.61
63,299
33,421
52.80
-
-
-
644,684
420,717
65.26
Year
No. of
ENGLAND & WALES
SCOTLAND
N. IRELAND
UNITED KINGDOM
crematoria
in United
Kingdom
Number
of
Cremations
%age
Number
of
Cremations
%age
Number
of
Cremations
%age
Number
of
Cremations
%age
1981
220
578,440
387,903
67.06
63,828
33,694
52.78
-
-
-
642,268
421,597
65.64
1982
221
581,861
395,640
67.99
65,022
34,813
53.54
-
-
-
646,883
430,453
66.54
1983
221
579,608
397,165
68.52
63,454
34,368
54.16
-
-
-
643,062
431,531
67.11
1984
221
566,881
387,929
68.43
62,345
33,642
53.96
-
-
-
629,226
421,571
67.00
1985
222
590,734
408,523
69.15
63,967
35,164
54.97
-
-
-
654,701
443,687
67.77
1986
223
581,203
405,748
69.81
63,467
35,249
55.54
-
-
-
644,670
441,021
68.41
1987
223
570,417
397,448
70.52
62,014
34,506
55.64
-
-
-
632,431
431,930
68.30
1988
223
574,790
402,163
70.80
62,314
34,687
55.66
-
-
-
637,104
436,850
68.57
1989
225
580,108
401,420
69.20
65,017
36,233
55.73
-
-
-
645,125
437,653
67.84
1990
225
568,102
403,290
70.99
61,527
34,776
56.52
-
-
-
629,629
438,066
69.58
1991
225
573,298
406,493
70.99
61,041
34,615
56.70
-
-
-
634,339
441,108
69.54
1992
226
561,473
402,482
71.68
60,937
34,518
56.65
-
-
-
622,410
437,000
70.21
1993
227
582,025
416,581
71.57
64,452
36,464
56.58
-
-
-
646,477
453,045
70.08
1994
228
557,010
400,002
71.81
59,709
34,221
57.31
-
-
616,719
434,223
70.41
1995
229
573,283
408,876
71.32
60,897
34,764
57.09
15,455
1,934
12.51
649,635
445,574
68.59
1996
230
563,674
408,711
72.51
61,036
35,248
57.75
15,371
1,975
12.85
640,081
445,934
69.67
1997
234
558,720
409,402
73.27
59,813
34,832
58.23
15,102
2,071
13.71
633,635
446,305
70.44
1998
238
558,432
400,137
71.65
59,515
36,846
61.91
15,115
2,162
14.30
633,062
439,145
69.37
1999
559,423
404,050
72.22
60,567
37,716
62.27
15,795
2,403
15.21
635,785
444,169
69.86
2000
538,867
400,728
74.37
58,097
34,628
59.60
14,996
2,253
15.00
611,960
437,609
71.51
Year
No. of
ENGLAND & WALES
SCOTLAND
N. IRELAND
UNITED KINGDOM
crematoria
in United
Kingdom
Number
of
Cremations
%age
Number
of
Cremations
%age
Number
of
Cremations
%age
Number
of
Cremations
%age
2001
533,532
392,183
73.51
57,678
33,883
58.75
14,625
2,317
15.84
605,835
428,383
70.71
2002
536,854
399,768
74.46
58,381
34,883
59.75
14,708
2,473
16.81
609,943
437,124
71.66
2003
541,839
404,887
74.72
58,768
35,339
60.13
14,570
2,312
15.87
615,177
442,538
71.94
2004
517,782
388,091
74.95
56,504
34,399
60.88
14,467
2,345
16.21
588,753
424,835
72.16
2005
516,477
387,832
75.09
56,039
34,454
61.48
14,313
2,398
16.75
586,829
424,684
72.37
2006
506,201
380,574
75.18
55,389
33,946
61.28
14,621
2,361
16.15
576,211
416,881
72.35
* The first cremation was carried out on 26th March 1885, at Woking. The deceased was a Mrs Jeannette C. Pickersgill.
§ Provisional figures as at 28th January 2009
** Includes Arnos Vale which closed in 1998
+ Source for statistics of Numbers of Deaths:
Until 1994 - Office for National Statistics and General Register Office, Scotland, Crown Copyright
From 1995 - Office for National Statistics, the Office of the General Register of Scotland and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Crown Copyright
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