General Chat

I replied to the mail from Manchester burial ops, I copied the jist of your post in it Bacardi - hopefully they will put a bomb under them to become more helpful - It'll only cost them a few seconds to tell people where the records are held now. Dave

Last week when this kicked off I sent an email to Manchester burials telling them what had happened and what I thought of it all. This morning I got an email back from them, apparently I should have been told that the records have been moved to Mannchester Central Library, that the online service is for those people who cant \ dont want to go to the library. In the library there are microfiches and original ledgers and a team of people who are there tho help with searches (all free of charge). The Archieve team can be reached at http://www.manchester.gov.uk/libraries/arls/index.htm. As the gentleman who replied said, he cant understand why we were not told this at the Cem.

Oh dear! Some 25 years ago, I went to Southern Cemetery, to try to find the grave of some of my family. They looked it up there and then, told me what number it was and where in the cemetery. I couldn't find it it at first, but a very helpful groundsman thought he knew the grave - and led me to a rather overgrown plot - there it was. It then took 20 years to dawn on me that just because someone's name is on a stone, doesn't mean they are buried there, and about 3 years ago, I emailed Southern Cemetery, to ask if they could tell me who was actually buried in the grave. They replied promptly that the information would cost me £10 - but whether by accident or design, had printed out what I wanted to know, so it didnt cost me a penny lol! Of course, playing Devil's Advocate here, why SHOULDN'T they charge for this information? Cemeteries presumably have running costs, which come out of the Rates, why shouldn't some of that cost be defrayed onto people who have a non-grieving need to find graves. After all, if these graves were important to you and your family, you would have known where they were - and the plots would be much better kept. Far better that they charge family historians a few quid, than bump up the Council Tax to pay for a non-essential service. Nothing is free these days, I am afraid. OC

David, perhaps you were just unlucky there. My experience of the town cemetery in Cullompton, Devon was really good. I e-mailed the town clerk, who almost by return, told me the row, plot number and directions on how to find my GGGrandfather's grave. My only disappointment was that there wasn't a headstone and having searched with no luck for half an hour, found the Sexton who took me there immediately and also found the grave of my GGGrandfather's daughter and husband. When this helpful man retires, will there be anyone to continue and have the same knowledge? Sue

Hi David Have to say that I sympathise with you - I've been up to Southern Cemetery twice this week and spoken to them several times on the phone. Of all the Manchester Cemeteries that I have rellies in (Phillips Park being the other main one), I find that Southern Cemetery seem to go out of their way to be unhelpful!!! When I called at Blackley Cemetery (they hold Philips Park records) I was invited in and when they found the grave details for me, they then showed me how to look up the burial receipts - Southern Cemetery however - wont let you anywhere near their precious papers!!! I find myself dreading finding a relative in Southern Cemetery now. Best Wishes Bacardi X

I live in Lancashire and have dealt with Wyre Borough Council. Though they haven't been able to find my missing graves (looks like they were in the RC part and the records for the years I needed were destroyed in a fire) they couldn't have been more helpful really went out of there way. Germaine x

Oh, seeing Ann's post reminded me - I have had contact also with Portsmouth, and they did not charge me; in fact, I was even sent a photograph of the areas where my great-great-grandparents are buried (there were no gravestones).

I have made several requests for information to Portsmouth cemeteries and they have always been most helpful, also Botley Parish church clerk in Hampshire went out of her way to find where my relatives were buried, in both cases, no charge was made. ann Glos

Id love the opportunity to look it up myself at the cem to be honest, I just object to them taxing not only death but those seeking the dead too now - same as I hated paying to park my car at the hospital when my mother was dieing, some things should not be taxed in this way.

Good morning. How interesting ! I have had contact with two Bereavement Services Departments - Bournemouth and Lewisham - the staff in both were extremely helpful. In the website for Lewisham, it does state that a charge is made, but at the beginning of the telephone conversation, I asked if I was being charged and was told no - which was a great relief - and she really ''went the extra mile'' during that conversation and subsequent ones.

Haven't come across that before but in a lot of London cemeteries they won't carry out searches but you can look them up yourself which I think is a much better idea. As far as I know there is no charge for this. Jean x.

I have only recently started to research my family tree, after a great deal of sucess on my partners side (found over 200 of her relatives even tho shes from Oz) I decided to track down my side. My family were never ones for reminiscing over the past, in fact it was only after the death of my father that I found out his mother had died in childbirth. I have a box of old papers, amongst this was a burial late payment slip from 1926 (the year my father was born). It was from late august 1926 (my father was born on 4th August). There was no name on the slip just a burial plot number. So armed with this number and the plot number for may grandfather on my mothers side (well it was 20 years ago I was last there and could only vaguely remember where it was) I went to Southern Cem in Chorlton (Manchester). The gentleman in the office there looked at the plot numbers, he told me there was no section R in the Roman Catholic section only in the non conformist area - I asked him what he meant by that he told me 'Muslim, Bhuddist etc and pointed to a map showing a section furthest away from the office where I was. I told him I didnt think it was likely the burial was over there (Im sure a muslim or bhuddist marriage into a staunchly roman catholic family would have either been talked about or all traces wiped from the family archives back in 1926). He gave me the web address of the burials records and I went on my way. On leaving the office I decided to take a walk round the ourside of the cem, and not 20 yards into my walk I looked to my left and there was a gravestone marked with an Rxxx number just like the one i was looking for. I trapsed thro the stones and sure enough ended up at the stone I was looking for (not in a section the other side of the cem as stated, and in a Roman Catholic section as I had stated when I asked). When I got home, I went to the website and to my horror I found I was expected to pay £4 to view the results of each search item !!!!! I spent weeks looking at graveyard records all over australia, and even in Norfolk for some obscure long distant relative of my partner and not once was I asked for payment, but it seems Manchester city council (apart from the extortionate council tax I have to pay them) are determined to extort money from us at every turn - Im not saying I was deliberatly given mis-information at the office (heaven forbid) but when im told that I have to pay for something I already have (a grave number) !!!!!! Is it just us Northerners unluck enugh to live in Manchester who have to put up with this or is a common British trait ? P.S. Many thanks to Yvonne, your help has been invaluable in expanding my (limited) knowledge of my side.