HC Deb 11 February 1856 vol 140 cc523-4
MR. H. BERKELEY

said, he wished to ask the right hon. Baronet the Secretary of State for the Home Department why burials were allowed to continue in the metropolitan graveyards, now that ample accommodation existed for interments at a distance from London? Why, the churchyards of St. John, Hoxton, St. Mary, Haggerstone, and St. Giles, Camberwell, having been repeatedly closed by Order in Council, had as often been allowed to re-open, and were, together with the Blue Lion burial-ground in Gray's Inn Lane, and Trinity, Brompton, now in full operation? And why the objectionable practice of placing more than one body in one grave was continued in the cemetery at Brompton, which had been purchased by, and was under the control of, the Government?

SIR GEORGE GREY

said, that the greater number of metropolitan churchyards had been closed, and provision had been made by the authorities of the respective parishes, either by the formation of new burial-grounds or by arrangements with existing cemeteries. The churchyards of St. John, Hoxton, and St. Mary, Haggerstone, had not been repeatedly closed, but an extension of time had been granted to enable the authorities to make arrangements for interments in the new City of London burial ground, which was now on the point of being consecrated, and these two graveyards would then be placed under orders to be closed. The graveyard of St. Giles, Camberwell, had also been ordered to be closed, but an extension of time of six months had been granted, which would expire in March, to allow the parochial authorities to provide a burial-ground. The Trinity churchyard, Brompton, had not yet been closed. The original order directed it to be closed in 1859, so that the period for closing it had not yet arrived. The Gray's Inn Lane burial-ground was in the same position as the first two churchyards. The time for closing it had been extended in anticipation of the City of London burial-ground being soon ready for interments. As soon as this burial-ground was opened the Gray's Inn Lane burial-ground would be closed. Inquiry had been made by the inspector of burials as to the mode of burial in some churchyards, which was very objectionable, and although it was not so objectionable in Brompton as in some other cemeteries, yet the practice of interring more than one body in one grave had continued there as elsewhere. This practice would now be stopped.