Unmarked mass grave found in Oldham cemetery

A woman looking for the final resting place of two family members, who died in 1962, has discovered an unmarked mass-burial site at Royton cemetery in Oldham, Greater Manchester.

Local councillors believe the grave contains 145 stillborn children, 128 babies and young children and 29 adults. They also suspect there may be similar unmarked burial areas elsewhere in the cemetery.

The woman who found the site was researching her twin brothers, one of whom was stillborn and the other who died within five hours of birth. Up until the 1980s, it was common practice for stillborn babies to be taken away from their families, who were not given details about burial locations.

Some of the other bodies in the grave are believed to be individuals who were given what were at the time called “pauper’s burials” because they either had no known next of kin or their families could not afford funeral costs.

In a statement, Independent Royton councillors Maggie Hurley and Jade Hughes wrote: “It’s a stark injustice that parents were denied the fundamental right to bury their babies, a right that should be inherent and unquestionable. This situation should stir our collective sense of fairness and empathy.”

Oldham Council is now considering erecting a memorial at the site “as a matter of urgency”.

Councillor Arooj Shah, leader of Oldham council, said: ‘We understand this news will be upsetting for a lot of people and our thoughts are with them.

“Sadly, the burying of people, including babies and children, in unmarked graves happened in graveyards all around the country years ago. Thankfully, things have changed and improved over the years. The Government now pays for the funerals of stillborn babies and anyone up to the age of 18 if necessary. Public graves are no longer used.”

Over the past 20 years, similar mass graves have been discovered in several English counties, including Cheshire, Devon and Lancashire.