George Fawcett

According to M C F Morris, anecdotally, probably by word of mouth, Benjamin Fawcett's father, George, was a captain or master of a small ship working out of Bridlington. Although these small ships were usually limited to short voyages they could occasionally travel to distant lands. It is reported that on one such trip in 1809 George died at sea, probably of a fever. It is believed that he was buried in Santa Cruz in the Philippines. Santa Cruz is a District of the capital, Manila.

The history of the Philippines is divided into a number of periods.
Spanish rule 1521-1898
American rule 1898-1946
(Japanese occupation 1941-1946)
Post independence self rule 1946-present

In 1808, when George died, the Philippines were under Spanish rule.

The history of burials in Manila is quite complex. During Spanish rule, the numerous mainly Catholic churches allowed local dignitaries to be buried within the church or close by in family crypts. Commoners were buried in simple or unmarked graves in the outer areas of the graveyard. Expansion of cemetery provision outside the church environment was to a large extent the result of high mortality following smallpox and cholera epidemics or hurricanes. There is a large cemetery complex north of the Pasig River, at the northern tip of the Santa Cruz District of Manila - the La Loma and North Cemeteries. These were built in 1884 and 1904 respectively, long after George's death. Paco Park cemetery was built in 1807, it is south of the river in the Paco District. There was an "Old Santa Cruz Cemetery" just north of the San Lazaro Hospital, the oldest hospital in the Philippines dating from 1578. The cemetery closed in 1913 and later became the site of the Espiritu Santo Parish Church.

I can find no reference to confirm where George was buried. If it was in a church graveyard, evidence may still exist. I think the old Santa Cruz cemetery is the most likely location depending on the accuracy of M C F Morris' account.

Families of people buried in Manila had to pay rent for the graves. If rent was not paid after five years the remains could be exhumed and the plot re-used. This picture is of the Bone Pit in the Santa Cruz Cemetery. The cemeteries today are extensively shanty towns with generations living their entire lives in and amongst the crypts and graves with internments stacked one on top of each other.