Memorials to be placed in Oldham cemeteries to honour stillborn babies buried in unmarked graves

Memorial benches and plinths are being placed in cemeteries to remember babies, children and adults who were buried in unmarked graves.

Plinths – each inscribed with a poignant verse – and benches where relatives and friends can sit peacefully with their thoughts, will be installed at seven council burial sites in Oldham.

The remembrance spaces are in response to an unmarked burial site discovered in Royton in September.

The discovery was made by a woman from the local area who was searching for the last resting place of her twin brothers, who died in 1962.

Before the 1980s, stillborn babies were sometimes taken away from their mother and families were often not given any details of where they were buried.

Councillor Arooj Shah, Leader of Oldham Council, said: “After listening to the views of the affected families we believe having somewhere discreet at each burial site, where people can sit down and quietly reflect and remember is the best way.

“Hopefully families affected by the insensitive practices of the past can now take some comfort knowing that soon there will be a place for them to come where their loss is acknowledged and remembered.”

Cemetery staff will put the first memorials in place over the coming weeks.

Oldham Council is also offering emotional support to relatives who've recently found out loved ones were buried without tributes.

Details of the burial site in Royton, which brought this issue to public attention, have been available to research for some time and Council staff have supported many families to locate their loved ones over the years.

Anyone can search for their deceased relative by using the link on the council website.

The grave, numbered 1A-360 in Royton, was first opened in 1924 and the last burial took place in 1972, the records for the Royton public graves have now all been digitalised, and work is ongoing for the other records to also be put on line.

Families searching for their relatives will need to know the surname and approximate date of death.

Families can also find this information by contacting the Cemetery Office at Hollinwood on 0161 681 1312 or via env.cemeteries@oldham.gov.uk where the records are held in written burial books.

When stillborn babies were buried in Oldham the surname of the parent/s were used to record the burial.