“This grave is not up to code”

[robfosters]

Does anyone else think graveyards are a colossal waste of space?

Absolutely not. However, they could be used more efficiently.

I think there should be a requirement where after a set length of time, like 25 years, the deceased’s direct family
(Children, grandchildren, great grandchildren egc) must apply to renew the grave for a small fee. The onus is on the family to apply. Once the deadline has passed, the remains can then be exhumed, cremated, headstone removed and then reused for a new burial. Each grave has a maximum of 2 applications (75 years), then the reuse of the grave is compulsory.

You’ll be amazed at how few people actually apply after 25 years. My dad doesn’t even know where my grandads buried, let alone be bothered about it. Can you think of anyone in your family who died over 25 years ago who you would apply for?

 

[d_brennen]

One of the strangest things I’ve seen in some time…

Anger at 'disrespectful' warning labels on Glasgow gravestones

The city council said it was a way to reach families where it was uncertain who had responsibility for the memorial.

www.bbc.co.uk

If the graves were that out of shape to the point of being a hazard, just laying them flat until repaired would have been a more acceptable solution. But pretty much every church in the country has loads of wonky / shonky gravestones, hundreds of years old, which nobody has an interest in disturbing… aside from perhaps the nefarious - some of those ‘stickered’ don’t look bad by those standards.

What were they thinking?!

Oh… I know… they weren’t thinking.

Linked in that very story. I don't think they can make anyone happy

 

[adidan]

When I'm gone just burn me and put my ashes in the bin.

Make sure they're cold though, councils don't like hot ashes in the waste.

 

[Gerard]

One of the linked stories say an 8 year old in 2015 was crushed to death by a headstone, so presumably this is something to do with that. But most of the ones pictured don't look bad, the odd really old one is sitting wonky, but there's likely no family around anymore to look after those.

 

[Richie]

Yes, but why cant the council take charge if there is nobody to contact about getting them repaired? I mean councils can find money for vanity projects that help nobody except their builder friends, why not a fund to re-erect gravestones?

Because some headstones can be expensive to repair/replace. Being buried in the UK is generally a choice for the vast majority of the UK population. You can have them cremated but you/the deceased chose burial. Why does that financial burden have to be laid at the feet of the living population for ever more, growing exponentially.

it makes me wonder - The people are quick to shout sacrilege about their relative's headstone being laid down/stickered etc, yet were not so quick at sticking their hands in their pockets and paying for them to be kept in a safe condition....

 

[Richie]

Linked in that very story. I don't think they can make anyone happy

One of the linked stories say an 8 year old in 2015 was crushed to death by a headstone, so presumably this is something to do with that. But most of the ones pictured don't look bad, the odd really old one is sitting wonky, but there's likely no family around anymore to look after those.

Yeah, I put a few stories and examples in an earlier post - https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/threads/this-grave-is-not-up-to-code.18994746/post-37459873

 

[hurfdurf]

Being buried is very very expensive. Headstones are very expensive. I’ve helped bury 4 people in graves and the grave itself was £3000ish if purchased, for which many couldn’t be as most grave yards are full. The headstones were upwards of £1000. This is on top of a funeral cost.

If a family is left with a loved one in a grave, and cannot afford the upkeep of the lease to the grave they signed, as per the terms and conditions of the lease, then the family has absolutely no standing to complain about the consequences. It’s not difficult to make a headstone safe. It’s not difficult to keep a grave yard up to date with your current address. There are very few excuses.

 

[Nutty667]

Does anyone else think graveyards are a colossal waste of space?

No. My grandparents lived next to a graveyard and I used to walk their dog through it. Lovely and peaceful there it was.

 

[Diddums]

Does anyone else think graveyards are a colossal waste of space?

Great for treasure hunting and metal detecting tho

 

[Dis86]

Great for treasure hunting and metal detecting tho

Now just you hold on a minute, sonny!

 

[bloodiedathame]

Great for treasure hunting and metal detecting tho

The largest one in the UK is quite near us. OCUK graveyard/treasure hunt meet?

 

[EddScott]

Funny story,

I was executor for a family friend. There were very few people left who she knew and she'd kept her husband in a box next to the TV.

When she passed, we took both boxes to the local church where they wanted to be buried together. Small hole, bit of a service, lower the boxes, all done.

Funeral director asked me for a cheque for £180 - the burial cost. A few moment later, the director came back with an odd smile and a bit of roll eye - the vicar said it's not enough, "There's two of them in there"

 

[TheVoice]

Yes, but why cant the council take charge if there is nobody to contact about getting them repaired? I mean councils can find money for vanity projects that help nobody except their builder friends, why not a fund to re-erect gravestones?

There are a million and one better things for GCC to spend money on; I don't particularly want my council tax payments being used to maintain or repair someone else's gravestone.

 

[jaybee]

Really disrespectful that they did that but not surprising given how out of touch our councils are.
Burials are a waste of space the UK doesn't have. It's costs a fortune to die as it is. I would never want to inflict potential long term mourning on anyone by being buried anyway.

 

[Werewolf]

Really disrespectful that they did that but not surprising given how out of touch our councils are.
Burials are a waste of space the UK doesn't have. It's costs a fortune to die as it is. I would never want to inflict potential long term mourning on anyone by being buried anyway.

What would you prefer, the council to spend money it doesn't have, fixing what should be someone else's responsibility, the council doing the cheapest option to fix what is someone else's responsibility to make it safe (laying it down), or the council just leaving it as is and facing a massive compensation claim and health and safety charges because someone got hurt by something the council knew was a safety issue?


Unfortunately for things like grave stones the council has basically 3 options, all of them have the high potential of upsetting some people, but only one option open to them is both cost effective and safe.

Even if the council were to make good the head stones, there is a good chance they'd get complaints about how they did it for some of them, as if say a headstone is cracked or gets further damaged during fixing they're going to get complaints and be called disrespectful for their attempt to deal with it (not forgetting that for some grave stones the only safe option other than laying them down is complete removal).

I'm wondering if part of the problem is the modern style of grave stones/how a lot of the ones in the pictures in this thread look like they're basically just sat on a small concrete pad, rather than the traditional ones which IIRC were often partially buried so the soil helped anchor them like a fence post.