Permanent memorials planned following discover of mass grave in Oldham

Around 300 bodies, most of them stillborn babies, were discovered in Royton Cemetery earlier this month

Author: Liam ArrowsmithPublished 12th Sep 2024

Permanent memorials are going to be placed in Oldham's graveyards following the discovery of a mass grave containing 300 bodies.

Most of them belonged to stillborn babies, buried by hospital staff in the 1960s, 70s and 80s, which was a common practice.

The leader of Oldham Council, Arooj Shah, announced the plans at a meeting on Wednesday night (September 11): ''Our hearts go out to the family members who have discovered their relatives were buried in unmarked graves.

"Sadly, the burying of people - including babies and children - in unmarked graves happened in graveyards all across the country.

"Thankfully this practice no longer happens, but it is wrong there is no acknowledgement of this in our cemeteries.

"I've now asked our cemeteries team to arrange and install memorials in all our Council cemeteries to remember those who were laid to rest in these circumstances. "

The memorials will be funded through the Leader's designated budget.

The council also said 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.

First for all the latest news from across the UK every hour on Hits Radio on DAB, at hitsradio.co.uk and on the Rayo app.