Report on a general scheme of extramural sepulture for country towns / General Board of Health.

Date:
1851
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report on a general scheme of extramural sepulture for country towns / General Board of Health. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

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    2a All Classes desirous that under my observation, led to the suspension of proposals for recti- fying the existing evils. Thus, Mr. Howard, town-clerk of Portsmouth, states, thai the subject of extra-mural sepulture having been considered by the corporation, a committee was ap- pointed in August, 1849, to institute an inquiry. The following is an extract from their report:— Impressed as your Committee are with the multiplied evils arising from intra-mural interments, and the necessity which exists for putting a stop to the practice as speedily as possible^ they nevertheless feel that, under existing circumstances, with the probability of legislative measures on the subject-being resorted to in the next session of Parliament, it is not advisable the council should take any decided step in the matter, at present, At Ipswich, according to the statement of Mr. Notcutt, town- clerk, the question of extra-mural sepulture has, ior the last two or three years, occupied the attention of the town-council, as well as of the inhabitants generally, in consequence of the con- fined extent and crowded state of most of the burial-srrounds attached to the churches and chapels of the town. The subject was specially brought before the town-council, on October 10th, 1849, when a committee was appointed for the purpose of con- sidering the question, and to take the necessary preliminary measures for obtaining an Act of Parliament, to provide a general cemetery for the town. The Committee selected a piece of ground, 20 acres in extent, and recommended, as the corporation had no legal power to raise the necessary fund, that a public company should be formed. This was done. John Chevallier Cobbold, Esq., one of the members for the borough, being one of the promoters of the measure. A Bill was brought into Parlia- ment; but in consequence of it being understood that the Government intended to introduce a general measure for extra- mural sepulture, and of a communication from the Secretary of the General Board of Health, the committee advised that, for the present, the project should be suspended; and on the report of the General Board of Health, on extra-mural sepulture soon afterwards appearing, in which propositions for a general plan were advanced, inconsistent with the establishment of a cemetery under a local Act; the Bill, which had been read a second time, was withdrawn. The following extracts from the evidence I have received will serve to illustrate the prevailing sentiments, so far as I have been able to ascertain them. Portsmouth.—R. Bramble, Esq., mayor of Portsmouth :— There is a general feeling in favour of extra-mural sepulture; is himself of opinion, it is very desirable in reference to the public health. Thomas E. Owen, Esq., late mayor of Portsmouth, member of the town-council, and a large owner of property in the borough:—