Dancing on the Dead

According to The Lady's Newspaper, by 1849 there were 52,000 deaths each year in London, yet the total space set aside for burial only allowed for 100,000 bodies.

Body-snatchers ran rampant and churches offered more secure burial sites in their basements and in tight spaces between buildings. Some churches showed between 1000 to almost 3500 burials per acre of land.

One man was convinced that the overflowing burial grounds were responsible for diseases such as cholera and maleria. The dead were buried in layers, on top of each other, in order to save space. Dances were held over top of burials - sometimes advertised as "Dancing on the Dead"
 
The new and improved 1852 burial act changed burials in England. Read the full story in The Disgusting Victorian Cemetery That Helped Change Burials in London Forever