Losing a loved one is hard enough without having to dig through endless websites to find the official death notice. Fortunately, several “Free Press” newspapers across the English-speaking world have made their archives freely searchable online, each with its own coverage area and search features.

4 related posts

Oldest archived date (Winnipeg Free Press): September 1999 ·
Daily death notices posted (Rossendale Free Press): Varies per funeral-notices.co.uk ·
Total active obituaries (RIP.ie): Over 100,000 ·
Searchable archives (London Free Press): 2005 to present

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact start date of The Press Christchurch online archive
  • Whether all Free Press newspapers offer free obituaries
  • Completeness of older notice archives
  • London Free Press online obituaries began around 2005 – exact year unconfirmed
3Timeline signal
  • Most recent notices shown first on all sites
  • Archives span 1999 to present across publications
  • New death notices added daily on each platform
4What’s next
  • Search by name, date, or location on each site
  • Many offer email alerts for new notices
  • Expect funeral details and condolence options

The snapshot shows a clear pattern: each archive offers free access but with different date ranges.

Four key archives, one pattern: each provides free access to death notices but differs in historical depth and search tools.

Label Value
Oldest Free Press obituary archive available Winnipeg Free Press – September 1999
Most recent notice type shown at top All sites display most recent first
Typical cost to publish a death notice Varies by newspaper; often free for online posting
Number of Free Press publications covered 4 major English-language titles

Who died in Rossendale this week?

Using funeral-notices.co.uk for Rossendale Free Press

Rossendale Free Press death notices are published on funeral-notices.co.uk (UK death notice aggregator). The site allows you to search by name or browse the most recent listings for the Rossendale area. Each notice includes the full name, age, and funeral service details.

Filtering by date and location

You can filter results by date range — from today back several years — and narrow by location to see only Rossendale notices. The search is free and requires no registration.

The upshot

For UK residents, the Rossendale Free Press feed on funeral-notices.co.uk is the quickest way to see who has died locally this week. Check daily for updates posted by families and funeral directors.

What this means: If you need recent local notices, check this site daily.

How do I find an obituary for a specific person free?

Searching across multiple free press archives

Each Free Press newspaper hosts its own obituary database, all freely searchable. The London Free Press Remembering (Ontario newspaper archive) covers obituaries from 2005 onward. The Winnipeg Free Press Passages (Canada’s oldest newspaper) allows free search from September 1999. New Zealand’s The Press Christchurch deaths (Southern Hemisphere news outlet) offers free browsing of current and archived notices. For Ireland, RIP.ie (Irish death notice platform) provides free search by name, county, and date.

Using online databases and aggregators

Aggregators like Legacy.com (global obituary database) can help you find notices across multiple newspapers at once. The FamilySearch US Obituaries guide (genealogical research resource) points to the US Newspaper Directory for broader searches.

Why this matters

No single search covers all Free Press archives. You need to check each site individually or use a multi-region aggregator like Legacy.com to cast a wider net.

The catch: No single search covers all, so you must check multiple sites.

How do I find an old death notice on Rip?

Using rip.ie advanced search

RIP.ie (Irish death notice service) stores death notices from 2004 onwards. Its advanced search lets you filter by date, name, and county. The site states it is “a reliable source to be informed of the passing of those close to you.”

Searching by year and county

To find an old notice, select the relevant year and county from the dropdown menus. Old notices remain accessible without charge — there is no paywall for historical records.

How to see who has passed away recently?

Subscribing to daily death notice alerts

Several Free Press sites offer email alerts for new death notices. RIP.ie highlights recent notices on its homepage. The Press Christchurch updates its death notices daily, and you can subscribe to receive notifications.

Checking newspaper websites for today’s obituaries

Most Free Press sites have a “today” or “latest” page. The Detroit Free Press obituaries page (US daily newspaper) lists recent daily notices in chronological order. Similarly, the Mankato Free Press obituary search (Minnesota regional paper) shows the latest entries.

What is the difference between a death notice and an obituary?

Characteristics of a death notice

Death notices are brief paid announcements placed by families. They typically include the name, age, date of death, and funeral service details. The Boston Public Library research guide (public library reference service) notes that these are “common genealogical research tasks.”

Characteristics of an obituary

Obituaries are longer, often written by newspaper staff, and include biographical details, surviving family, and life stories. They may be published at no cost under editorial discretion.

The upshot

Death notices are cheaper to publish but give only the essentials; obituaries tell the full story but may come at a higher cost.

Cost and publication differences

Death notices are usually paid per line; obituaries can be free or fee-based depending on the newspaper’s policy. The New Jersey State Library guide (state library research portal) describes obituary resources as “indexed images from thousands of newspapers.”

Four archives, one clear distinction: death notices give you the essentials; obituaries tell the full story.

Feature Rossendale Free Press London Free Press Winnipeg Free Press RIP.ie
Archive start Varies (aggregator) 2005 September 1999 2004
Cost to view Free Free Free Free
Search filters Date, location Name, date Name, date Name, county, date
Geographic coverage Rossendale, UK Ontario, Canada Manitoba, Canada All Ireland

The distinction affects both cost and content, so choose the right type for your needs.

How to search for a free press death notice — step by step

  1. Identify the region. Determine which Free Press newspaper covers the area where the person lived.
  2. Go to the newspaper’s obituary page. Use the links in this guide for Winnipeg, London, Rossendale, or Christchurch.
  3. Use the search bar. Enter the full name if known, or browse by date.
  4. Narrow by date range. Use the calendar or dropdown to select the approximate date of death.
  5. Check multiple archives. If the person moved, search in more than one region.
  6. Try aggregators. Use Legacy.com or RIP.ie for broader searches.
The catch

No Free Press archive goes back before 1999. For older records, you need library microfilm or state-level death indexes like the Cleveland Public Library death certificate guide (Ohio public library).

The pattern: older records require different sources, so use the right tool for the era.

Clarity check: What we know and what’s uncertain

Confirmed facts

What remains unclear

  • Exact start date for The Press Christchurch online archive
  • Whether all Free Press newspapers offer free online obituaries
  • Completeness of older notice archives for smaller publications
  • London Free Press online obituaries began around 2005 – exact year unconfirmed

The takeaway: Confirmed facts are limited; uncertainties remain for smaller archives.

What the sources say

Obituary notices, as published in the Winnipeg Free Press newspaper, dating back to September, 1999.

— Winnipeg Free Press Passages section description

A reliable source to be informed of the passing of those close to you.

— RIP.ie homepage

The pattern across all Free Press archives is clear: free access to recent and historical death notices is available, but the depth varies. For genealogists and families, the trade-off is between convenience (one-stop aggregators) and completeness (direct newspaper databases). The Los Angeles Public Library research guide (public library system) warns that “newspaper coverage varies by decade and some local newspapers are not indexed.”

Additional sources

cremation.green, findmypast.com, facebook.com

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Frequently asked questions

Are death notices always free to view on Free Press websites?

Yes, all the Free Press archives covered in this guide allow free browsing and searching. Some may require a free registration to view full obituaries.

Can I submit a death notice to a Free Press newspaper online?

Most Free Press sites have a “submit” or “place an obituary” page. Typically, you will need to work with the newspaper’s obituary department; some allow direct online submission for a fee.

How long do death notices remain published on these sites?

Death notices remain online indefinitely on most Free Press archives. RIP.ie keeps notices accessible from 2004 onward, and the Winnipeg Free Press retains notices since September 1999.

Do Free Press newspapers charge for obituary publication?

Death notices are usually paid per line. Obituaries, which are longer and more biographical, may be free or fee-based depending on the newspaper’s editorial policy.

What information is typically included in a death notice?

A death notice typically includes the full name, age, date of death, funeral service details, and sometimes the name of the funeral home. It is condensed and factual.

Can I search multiple Free Press archives at the same time?

There is no single database that aggregates all Free Press death notices. You need to search each archive individually or use legacy.com for broader coverage across many newspapers.

Is there a national Free Press death notice database?

No, each Free Press newspaper operates independently. However, regional aggregators like funeral-notices.co.uk for the UK and RIP.ie for Ireland provide national coverage within their countries.

These FAQs cover common concerns when searching for death notices.