Information Team Croydon
Digital Services
Assistant Chief Executive Directorate
Bernard Wetherill House
7th Floor, Zone B
Croydon
CR0 1EA

Contact: Information Team
[email address]

 

Dear Chris Chambers

Request FOI/10850

Further to your request received on 14/10/2024, I confirm that the Council
has now considered your request under the Freedom of Information Act
2000. Specifically, you have requested the following information:

"In light of the discovery of a mass grave containing stillborn babies in
Royton Cemetery, Oldham, and the discovery of mass graves containing
stillborn babies in Landican, Wirral, please could you provide localised
details for the following:

*Number of mass (unmarked) graves containing still born babies

*Number of still born babies buried in mass (unmarked) graves

*Date of earliest mass (unmarked) grave

*Date of last mass (unmarked) grave

In addition, please can you state whether or not burial records for these
mass graves are available online.

https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/where-is-my-b...
 

Please see data attached.

We have also included below, the response received from our industry body,
the Institute of Cemetery and crematorium management (ICCM).

Press Statement from the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management:
Members are informed that following recent press articles about communal
baby graves and subsequent Freedom of Information requests to burial
authorities, the press statement below is being released by the ICCM on
17^th October 2024.
Communal Graves for Stillborn and Miscarried Babies
The Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management (ICCM) acknowledges
the recent reports regarding the discovery of communal graves containing
stillborn babies, particularly at Royton Cemetery, Oldham, and Landican
Cemetery, Wirral. We recognise that this is a deeply sensitive issue, and
it is essential that discussions are conducted with care, respect, and
understanding for the affected families.
We understand that these reports have raised concerns, particularly due to
the tone of some media coverage. This may cause additional distress to
families who are already grieving, regardless of how much time has passed.
It is crucial that the media and public discussions surrounding this
matter are handled with the utmost sensitivity and compassion.
Historical Practices of Communal Graves
The ICCM recognises that burial in communal graves was once a common
practice in the UK, not just for babies but also for children and adults,
when families did not or could not choose individual graves. A communal
grave is one where the exclusive right of burial is retained by the burial
authority, allowing for unrelated individuals to be buried in the same
grave, sometimes on the same day. Each burial was performed with respect
and separated by layers of soil, and the grave would eventually be capped
and grassed over once full.
While many of these graves were unmarked, in some cases, small memorials
were placed in memory of the individuals buried there. Burial records were
kept, allowing thousands of people to trace the resting places of their
loved ones over the years.
Changing Approaches to Infant Burial
Between the 1950s and 1970s, it was widely believed by medical
professionals and society that the best course of action for mothers after
the loss of a baby was to ‘move on’ by not participating in the funeral.
Hospitals would typically arrange for the burial of stillborn babies in
communal graves, often without informing the parents. This was thought to
help the mother recover more quickly from the loss.
In more enlightened times, we now understand the importance of providing
parents with choices and support in these difficult moments. Today, a wide
range of burial, cremation, and memorialisation options are available to
parents, along with emotional and financial support. The ICCM’s Charter
for the Bereaved places parents’ rights at the forefront of service
provision.
Commitment to Transparency and Support
We are aware that Freedom of Information (FOI) requests have been made to
local authorities, seeking details about unmarked graves containing
stillborn babies, the dates of these burials, and the availability of
records. We support transparency and encourage the provision of accurate
information wherever possible and practicable to respond to these queries.
Cemetery managers across the UK adhere to strict regulations to ensure
that all infant burials are carried out with dignity and respect. We
continue to work closely with local authorities to uphold these standards
and provide compassionate support to families during their most difficult
times.
We encourage families seeking information about past burials to contact
local cemetery offices, where staff are available to assist. While many
burial records remain in physical archives, efforts are underway in many
local authorities to digitise these records for easier access.
We urge that any further discussions on this matter be approached
thoughtfully and with sensitivity. Our deepest sympathies go out to all
families affected by these issues.
Ends

The Council publishes Access to Information requests and responses on its
online Disclosure Log. (Any request included within this log will be
anonymised appropriately)

To view the Council’s Disclosure Log, please visit our website available
here:

[1]The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act | Croydon Council
(disclosure-log.co.uk)

 

If you are dissatisfied with the way the Council has handled your request
under the Freedom of Information Act, you may ask for an internal review.
This should be submitted to us within 40 working days of this response.
You can do this by outlining the details of your complaint by:

 

Email:        [2][email address]

 

Writing:     Information Team

London Borough of Croydon

Bernard Weatherill House

Floor 7 - Zone B
8 Mint Walk

Croydon, CR0 1EA

 

Any requests received after the 40 working day time limit will be
considered only at the discretion of the council.

 

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have
the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a
decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

 

Information Commissioner’s Office

Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire, SK9 5AF

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Information Team

Croydon Digital Services

Assistant Chief Executive Directorate

Bernard Wetherill House,

Mint Walk,

Croydon,

CR0 1EA

 

 

[3][email address]

[email address]

 

References

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