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There's a quite nice little book on the history of the idea of vampirism in Europe called "Vampire Forensics" and it mentions that cremation only became legal in England in 1902. Bram Stoker--who died in 1914--was cremated.

The potential for poorly buried corpses to float to the surface and move under the influence of internal gasses may have influenced notions of vampirism. It's remarkable how much like a liquid soil cover is on long time scales. I used to live across from a graveyard-turned-park and the odd bone would still surface now and then, a century after the conversion.

Fascinating reading for those interested in how the world has changed in a mere 150 years. In school we learn the grand sweep of history. In distinction this article is a window into the ordinary and the mundane.