Permanent Memorial to be Established for Infants Buried in Unmarked Graves

A permanent memorial will finally be available for relatives of babies who were interred in mass graves without their families’ knowledge. Oldham Council is installing plinths and benches for the families of approximately 300 infants who were either stillborn or died in infancy. From the 1950s to 1980s, bereaved parents were informed their children would be buried with a “nice person” in an adult grave. However, the bodies were instead placed in cardboard boxes and put into unmarked plots. Arooj Shah, Leader of Oldham Council, stated: “The last few months must have been horrible for anyone who has discovered their relative was buried in an unmarked grave.” These remembrance spaces are being created in response to an unmarked burial site discovered in Royton in September. The memorial stones, which will be installed at council burial sites, are to be inscribed with a verse remembering the “little children who never got to grow.” Council leader Shah added: “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.” According to the council, the plinths and benches were selected after conversations were held with several families. The authority confirmed it would not charge relatives if they requested a death certificate for any child who was laid to rest in a communal grave. Anyone who has been charged in the past twelve months can receive a refund by contacting the Registrars service. Shah told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “It’s not right that someone should have to pay after going through such a traumatic time.”