BOROUGH OF MITCHAM ROAD & QUEENS ROAD

RECLAIMED ENQUIRIES TO: OFFICE MITCHAM ROAD, CREMATED CROYDON CR9 3AT TEL: 020 8684 3877 FAX: 020 8689 7795 EMAIL: [email protected] REMAINS GRAVES

THE BURIAL OF CREMATED REMAINS IN CROYDON

Croydon Council is aware that after cremation, many bereaved residents desire a memorial inscribed to the deceased. Although a wide range of memorials is available at the crematorium, most of these are located separately from the cremated remains. They are also placed in communal schemes and do not offer the privacy and individuality of small graves.

If you desire an individual location and memorial, perhaps in which your own cremated remains might be added in the future, Croydon Council offer cremated remains graves specifically to meet this need. This leaflet describes the graves at Queens Road and Mitcham Road cemetery. The third location is at the more distant Greenlawn Memorial Park at Warlingham. If this location is convenient for you to visit, please ask for the separate leaflet that describes the cremated remains graves on the ‘Rest Park’ at that location.

The London Borough of Croydon has an acute land shortage. The only graves available on new, unused land, both for conventional earth burial and for the burial of cremated remains, is at Greenlawn Memorial Park. The Council realise that this cemetery is inconvenient for many Croydon residents who do not possess their own transport and is also aware that many residents want to be interred within or close to their neighbourhood. This inters the deceased in a familiar setting and is convenient for family and friends to visit the grave. As a “green” issue, it also reduces road travel for the funeral cortege and all subsequent grave visits, as well as reducing personal expense.

To meet these important needs and expand choice for the bereaved, it has been agreed to place cremated remains graves over the top of old graves at Mitcham Road and Queens Road cemetery in North Croydon. These cemeteries have been operated by Croydon Council since the Victorian period and this is part of a wider policy to create cemeteries that can be re-used perpetually. As sacred space managed by the Council, residents can feel complete confidence that their loved ones truly rest in peace within the community in which they lived and worked during their lives.

THE CONDITIONS

Each grave is placed above an old grave, this being reclaimed with great care. The old graves are only used where the owner is deceased, no burial has occurred for at least 75 years and the grave is unvisited and neglected. The cremated remains casket is buried in unused space nearer the surface and no previously interred remains will be disturbed or moved in any way. The grave is only reclaimed after extensive attempts to contact the previous grave owner have occurred, including newspaper advertising.

As the law no longer allows Croydon Council to sell a Right of Burial in perpetuity (for ever), a period of 50 years has been agreed. Towards the end of this period, the right can be extended for a fee. If a family member continues to extend the Right, it can remain with an individual family for many generations. Although you purchase the Right for this period, the ownership of the ground still remains with Croydon Council. GRAVE CHOICE The graves may be available in various parts of Queens Road or Mitcham Road cemetery. Each area is different and you are welcome to contact Bereavement Services and arrange to choose a grave in a location suitable to you. For instance, your decision might depend upon the proximity of bus routes, entrance gates, footpath access, the nearness of water taps and litter bins or of vehicle parking.

ACCESS TO THE GRAVE & FACILITIES The reclaimed graves are situated on old grave areas and pedestrian access, though always possible, is often re- stricted by existing old memorials. Roadside graves are rare and few hard surfaced level paths are present. It is not possible to add new paths to these areas as they would have to be placed over graves, which is not ethically ac- ceptable. Where wheelchair access is essential, this should be made known to staff and care taken to choose an accessible location. Toilets are available at the crematorium (for Mitcham Road cemetery) and at Queens Road Cemetery (only open when the grounds person is on site; this does not include weekends or evenings). Please note: old memorials can be dangerous, please keep clear at all times.

WHETHER TO HOLD A SERVICE A funeral service usually occurs prior to the cremation and a further service is not required when the casket is in- terred in the grave. Nonetheless, many people do arrange a short graveside service and particularly if mourners are attending who could not attend the crematorium service. Your funeral director can arrange a minister for you or you can make this approach yourself. We recognise that almost a quarter of people in Croydon profess no religion (2001 Census data) and we can advise you if you prefer to arrange a secular (non-religious) officiant or want a fami- ly member of friend to take the graveside service.

WREATHS If the cremated remains are interred within 5 days of the cremation service, you may prefer to transfer the wreaths from the crematorium and place them over the grave. You can do this yourself or arrange for your funeral director to carry it out. Please note that all wreaths are removed from the crematorium after 5 days.

MEMORIAL SEATS We have very few memorial seats in Queens Road and Mitcham Road cemeteries. If you would like to commemo- rate a seat in memory of your loved one, please contact us in order to identify a suitable location.

CEMETERY OPENING & CLOSING TIMES The cemeteries open at 9am every day of the year including holidays and Christmas. Closing times are: JANUARY 5pm APRIL 7pm JULY 7pm OCTOBER 7pm FEBRUARY 5pm MAY 7pm AUGUST 7pm NOVEMBER 5pm MARCH 5pm JUNE 7pm SEPTEMBER 7pm DECEMBER 5pm

THE FINAL PART OF THIS FORM IS ABOUT THE MEMORIAL AND MEMORIAL RIGHTS – PLEASE STUDY THESE DETAILS CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU COMMIT YOURSELF TO CHOOSING A MEMORIAL

THE MEMORIAL – GIVING YOU THE WIDEST CHOICE In order to offer the widest choice, you can choose any memorial you wish providing it is within the overall size limi- tations set by the Council. As cremated remains graves are small, large memorials cannot be placed. If you want a large memorial, you need to purchase a full size grave. You can obtain a memorial through your funeral director or any other mason. Memorials can be expensive and it is sensible to obtain a number of quotes for the supply before you make your final decision. Although memorials are usually in stone, you can choose wood, concrete edgings or some other agreed material if you prefer. These materials can be used if you cannot afford a traditional memorial or if you prefer to make your own. There is a fee for Right to place a memorial, and an application fully describing the memorial and giving details of its safe erection is required by the council. The application for the permit can be done for you by any memorial mason you choose. Please note that if vandalism occurs, the grave owner is re- sponsible, not the council. Memorial insurance can be arranged through your mason. Note: no glass permitted.

MEMORIAL RIGHTS

When a memorial is purchased, the memorial mason has a common law responsibility for it to be erected safely for a minimum 30 years. It is, however, the owner of the grave Right who is indefinitely responsible for the safe erection and maintenance of the memorial. Over time and with the death of the grave owner, this responsibility often falls on the landowner, usually the local Council. Croydon Council is now responsible for many thousands of unsafe memorials in Queens Road and Mitcham Road cemeteries. As unsafe memorials have caused many inju- ries and a number of child deaths in the U.K., Croydon Council cannot allow this situation to continue.

In view of this, although the Right of Burial for the grave is sold to the grave purchaser for 50 years, the Right to place a memorial is separate and extends to 30 years. This is because small cremated remains memorials are reliant upon metal dowels and cement, and the memorial needs checking at the end of this period at the latest. When the memorial Right ceases at 30 years, you or your heirs can extend it providing the memorial is inspected by an approved memorial mason and a certificate of safe erection for a prescribed period obtained. If the memori- al Right is not extended, as soon as the memorial becomes unsafe it will be removed and destroyed.

MEMORIAL DESIGN

Each cremated remains memorial is placed on a 3’ x 2’ concrete slab placed across the head of the grave. This is a simple arrangement and keeps burial charges low. The maximum memorial dimensions are:

width 2’ 6” (750mm) ) these dimensions allow a clear 3” (75mm) of clear slab surface around the depth 1’ 6” (450mm) ) memorial as a means of protection against mower damage. You can place as height 2’ 3” (675mm) ) many vases as you wish as part of the memorial.

The remainder of the grave is covered by the garden area and grass. We do ask that you keep the grass area clear of vases and other items in order that we can carry out mowing. Where items are placed on the grass, our contractors are instructed not to mow the grass around the item or otherwise move it.

BURIAL ARRANGEMENT & GARDEN AREA

We place up to 4 caskets in the 3’ (900mm) wide x 18” (450mm) deep area in front of the slab. As we are aware that the bereaved can get upset if the cremated remains are interred under grass which can be walked over, this area can be used as a garden. The preparation and care of this garden is the responsibility of the grave owner. Only small plants should be planted, and no strong growing shrubs or trees. When further caskets are interred in this garden, it will need to be disturbed and this may damage the planting.

GRAVE MAINTENANCE

The council will maintain the grass area for the 50 year period of the grave right. The current maintenance stand- ard is a fortnightly mowing, a total of sixteen times per year. The clippings are not collected and remain on the grave area. This is an average level of maintenance and is not a “bowling green” standard. Because it is impossi- ble to get large mowers onto grave plots with traditional memorials, the grass around the memorial will be cut us- ing strimmers. These tend to throw cuttings over memorials and you should keep this point in mind when choosing a memorial. For instance, if the grass clippings fall on chippings, they can be difficult to remove. FEES & CHARGES (1/4/2019–31/3/2020)

1. Purchase of Right of Burial for 50 years = £1030.00

This entitles you to inter a maximum of four caskets.

2. Interment fee for each casket = £224.00

The fee covers the excavation in the garden area, backfilling, attendance at the interment and, where possible, renovation of the garden area afterwards.

3. Interment fee surcharge for burial on or after 4pm = £194.00

4. Right to place a memorial fee = £454.00

This fee includes the right to place a memorial on any grave and the permit fee for a new memorial.

5. Fee for each subsequent inscription on the memorial = £112.00

This fee covers checking the memorial, receiving, checking and processing the application, issuing a permit and registering the details.