39 replies to this topic

[Phyll]

Finally, all those 50, 000 People will have some recognition.

http://www.sthelenss...aupers__graves/

[Alan]

Long overdue imo, however I wonder about that 50,000 figure. I mean that's two and a half Saints ground capacity! Unless the grave was a mighty deep quarry it doesn't seem plausible

[Kneeshin]

50,000 is on the low side sect 40 is one of the small plot and has 3,615 There are 11 plots One grave on sect 16 has 45 in it, But as you say 2 Staints Grounds Full all to poor to be buried

[eddieguff]

They tended to bury people as many as they could in a couple of months for example, and then leave the grave for say 70 years or so, and start again. My brother is buried in one, in section 15. All in the grave are infants or babies, and there are 36 in that same plot.

[Olliebeak]

I've quite a few in my family tree who finished their days in 'paupers' graves' - very sad ending to hardworking lives.

[woodsman]

Only visited the cemetery on a few occassions but always thought how well kept it is. The friends of the cemetery along with the two companies who donated the memorials did the citizens of St Helens and those buried a great service. I wonder if in the future when someone visits the cemetery if they could take a photo and put it on here?

Edited by woodsman, 16 May 2011 - 09:49 AM.

[Clancy]

What an absolutely wonderful gesture ...and from way over here, I thank those wonderful people.

I wonder if my stillborn sister will be in that section 15. All I have to know that she...nearly....existed is the receipt
for her burial, which was 7s 6d. That was in 1953. My uncle made her coffin and he and my dad took her to the cemetery but
he had no idea where she was put. So very sad

[Le200]

The map below shows it's location

[woodsman]

Thats very kind of you Le, what lovely photos, Thanks.

[Le200]

It was no hardship woodsman, I go up there at least once a week.

[Olliebeak]

Thank you, Le - it may be no hardship to YOU, but it can mean the world to other people .

[moody]

Thank you Le.

[mummfyoo]

Gosh, thanks so much to Le for taking those photos! And also to the people who are responsible for the memorial - I was thinking last week that something should commemorate all those poor souls - poor souls who had a lot to do with the success and wealth of the town in the 19th Century.

(I also sort of object to the term 'pauper graves' as they weren't free, y'know! Folk still had to pay for a decent Christian burial in these plots!!)

[Phyll]

Yes Thanks Lee for the Photos. I have a Stillborn Sister in the Cemetery too, presumably in that area, as I can't find any record of her.

[moody]

I have a stillborn brother in the cemetery, but I found him in another grave, my parents didn't have a lot of money and he was their first child so the hospital ( Cowley Hil ) put him in a grave with others, all different names.

I remember my mother saying she followed 2 men with a tiny coffin and knew exactly were he was buried, but over the years she forgot, I would have loved to take her there now.