"Laying out the Corpse" (1) Immediately after dying the body is washed. There is generally in the absence of a nurse some old woman in the district whose special business is washing & laying out corpses and in return she generally gets the clothes of the dead person & a few shillings.
(2) "Laying out"- A brown habit is put on the dead person and white sheets - (generally unused up to this) & a white counter-pane are put on the bed where the person is laid out. A Rosary Beads is put between the fingers. At the bed-side, or often at the foot of the bed,- a small table is placed. On this table, there is a white cloth