Genealogy Chat

I have just contacted my local cemetaries office for plot maps for 2 cemeteries where my relatives are buried, and have been quoted £75!!!!

Yep!!!
have known that happen!!

I managed to find a map online for one of mine -
where are the cemeteries you want??

Christine

Rosehill & Headington cemeteries in Oxford.

I dont understand how they can justify demanding that much money.

If they werent such large cemeteries I would have a go at drawing it out myself...

Was hoping that I may be able to help other people in the local area by making a note of other burials also, as there is nothing online regarding burials there as far as I can tell..

Yes - mine was a large London cemetery too.

I've known others to display 'maps' just inside the gateway too.

Christine

Thanks Von,
Was just thinking that....

My cemeteries department are reluctant to deal with any queries without payment - even with plot numbers etc etc, have been lucky recently where they have been happy to just respond over email and not send me through the 'official channels'.
Is quite frustrating as there are a fair number of graves that I would like information on, but am a little scared to ask! lol.

If its council run, they are strapped for cash and will charge for everything they can.

I've just put a planning application in, and that a whopping fee.

Andy

I agree it is outrageous.

Our Cemeteries Dept is the same, even though I have been to the Records Office and have searched the burial registers myself and provided dates/grave numbers, they want £30 per person to tell me the plot number and where in the massive cemetery the graves are actually located.

This was only introduced last year, before this they used to do it for free. A lady I spoke to at the Cemetery Office agreed that it was terrible and that lots of people had complained but it has made no difference, the charge stands.

Sam x

Did you say you have the plot numbers?

have visited some when groundsmen are working -
they are a mine of info!!
and usually very helpful!

Christine

Christine,
I do have plot numbers for most of them, but without a map, they mean nothing to future generations to look at.

Yeah, they are still very reluctant to offer any information without payment.. complete contrast to swansea - I called them recently to find out about both my grandparents burials, and they were even offering advice on places to contact - they were both cremations with the ashes taken by the family (the person in question also dying unfortunately).

Forgot to mention that I have also thought of talking to the groundsmen, but they are never there everytime I have visited - get the feeling I would be charged for finding out his working hours too! lol

you may know this already - so apologies if you do

on the base of most graves there is the plot number

may take some leg work - but once you work out how the 'grid lies' so to speak - would get easier.

Christine

I would really love to be able to help other people out by doing this as part of my research - will also mean that i check every grave for my family.

The one round the corner from my house in particular is all over the place in terms of rows - not always in straight lines - the older plots in particular.

I understand completely that they are funded / rely on donations etc etc, and was willing to pay for the cost of the copying / postage, but I think £75 is taking the mickey!
Would have made a donation also, but now feel very un-inclined to....

You could always email them for a 'breakdown' of costs!
Bet they'd be hard pushed to justify it!
I don't know of any council employees on large salaries - and photocopying is dead cheap!

Christine

Gosh .. that's a lot.

I have never been charged for a Cemetery plan and my local council will come out to the cemetery and show you if you have trouble finding a plot !!

Melanie

Wow! Where do you live Melanie? Maybe I need to move there... lol
It makes me wander now if he is trying to pull a fast one and see what he can get out of me for it....

Just asked for a breakdown of costs - wish me luck....

Thats ridiculous, I have maps of the five main cemeteries in Manchester sent to me no charge, Blackley, Gorton, Manchester General, Phillips Park and Manchester Southern. You would have to have the actual grave number but would be happy to send them to anyone to see where the plots are if anyone is interested.

Marilyn

Well i am amazed at such cost, i have recently helped 2 people who had requested photographs of headstones. On both occasions i went to cemetery office, admittedly i had the plot numbers, but i was given a map,and they even told me to grab of of the groundsman, who would actually escort me to the plot in question, which he did.
No cost at all.
This particular one was Newark Cemetery Nottinghamshire with a few thousand graves there,
Well done them

I wouldn't dream of paying that sort of money. The cemetery in Hartlepool where a lot of my rellies are buried are very helpful. They will give you a cemetery map and mark on it where your relly is buried.

A member of staff will escort you to the plot if you can't find it, and even if the plot you are looking for does not have a headstone, they will look at their records and find a plot nearby which does have one and then pace out the approximate place of your relly's plot for you, so you have a reasonable idea of where they are buried.

I have had lots of help from the groundsman and the office staff and have never paid a penny to them.

Well done Hartlepool.

Kath. x