I am sceptical about the 'suicide' theory - especially given there appears to be no record of such an event in the media of the time.
In 1901 Matthew was farming at Chytodden and is recorded as an'employer'. There is no reference to a number of employees but there was certainly one servant present on Census night - Christopher Hollow age 22 who was employed as a 'horse man'. Also present was Ann Jeffery age 73, an older sister of Matthew's wife Emma.
Another resource you might like to try, if available, would be Church records such as Vestry Minutes or Churchwardens Accounts or other similar documents of the time.
It would not surprise me if Matthew Quick had a falling out with the Church or at least with the local Vicar.
Falling out or not - I think the simplest and, possibly, most likely answer to the puzzle is that Matthew had moved away from the Established Church and joined the Non-conformist movement.
Ignore the words 'Under the Act' and concentrate on 'without service'.All burials had to be performed 'under the Act' ever since Laws were introduced to govern the processed.
And there is a little 'light reading' available on the subject by James Brooke Little - just 846 pages!!!
The law of burial: including all the burial acts as modified or affected by The Local Government (England and Wales) Act, 1894; all the church building, new parish and poor law acts relating to the subject; the Cremation Act, 1902 and the official regulations ... with notes and cases
I can't see that it is available to read online or download but the index indicates that it is very comprehensive.
But I do think that Non-conformism might be the answer. In fact now that I look at the Parish Register again I am more inclined to think that might be the answer.
St Ives is a good example and there you will find that many burials are not recorded in the Parish Register. But for most you will find an entry in the Register of Barnoon Cemetery which also records that burials took place in 'unconsecrated ground'.
Reading through the Burial Register for Towednack is interesting. Matthew Quick was buried February 6th 1902 and his burial was certified by John Quick.
The previous entry was that of Charity Osborne on November 9th 1901 and it was certified by Herbert W H Butler. Beside this entry also is the annotation 'Under the Act without Church Service'!
Several pages in the years prior to this have Notices of Burial inserted.
John Thomas of Mulfra in December 1893 lodged a Notice of Burial for his father Hannibal Thomas. He gives notice that he intends to bury his father in Towednack Churchyard on December 23rd 1893
"without the performance in the manner prescribed by law of the Service for the burial of the dead according to the rites of the Church of England, and I give this notice pursuant to the Burial Laws and Amendment Act,1880.'A similar notice appears in 1894 lodged by Augustus William Hollow regarding the burial of his father-in-law Joseph Dally.
Both the above were on pre-printed forms but then 1899 Samuel Michell has charge of the burial of Matthew Rowe of Towednack. In his handwritten note he gives notice that Matthew Rowe will be buried
'within the Consecrated portion of the Towednack Cemetery ..... without the performance etc.'
In this case there is no entry in the register (other than the notice) but there is another note included and signed by R F Tyacfke (Vicar) acknowledging receipt of the notice. He does also say that he had received no notice of the burial being carried out. Added to this note is 'Note on preceeding page a burial carried out by this same undertaker Sam: Michell without notice of intention to bury - or of burial'.
On the next page is another similar notice from Samuel Michell for the burial of Isaac Broad.
In 1904 we find the successive burials of Thomasine Trewhella Curnow (May 13th Certified by Matthew Curnow) and Joanna Roach (June 10th Certified by Matthew Roach)
'Under the Act without Church Service'.
If Matthew Quick's death was suicide then I think the above might constitute an epidemic!
I really don't think there is anything sinister or tragic involved.
CT
