Report to the General Board of Health on the state of the burial grounds in the borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme / by William Lee, Superintending Inspector.

  • Lee, William, 1774 or 1775-1853.
Date:
1851
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report to the General Board of Health on the state of the burial grounds in the borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme / by William Lee, Superintending Inspector. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    incumbent for the time being. I believe the time has now arrived when the land should be devoted to burial purposes, and cease to be let for grazing, and if it be applied to its legitimate purpose, the town^would be suiticiently supplied with burial-ground for 30 years to come.” I must say that I disagree with Mr, Cooper as to the adcouacy of St. George's churchyard, as a peiiuanent huiial- grouud for the borough, but 1 think it may be used with safety until more comprehensive arrangements can be brought into 0])eration. 'Idle 'I'own Council, as the Local Board of Health, had very l)roperly turned their attention to several plots of land at con- venient distances from the town, and suitable for the formation of a suburban parochial cemetery. During the inspection of the existing burial-grounds, I examined several of these sites, but in the present state of the law, no utility would result from any consideration of the subject. CONCLUSIONS AND llECOMMENDATIONS. I. That the condition of the burial-ground connected with the parish church of Newcastle-under-Lyme, is such as to endanger the health of persons living in the neighbourhood thereof, and is proved by the testimony of local medical ])ractitioners to have been productive of much disease and death. II. That the burial-ground in front of the Wesleyan chapel, in the same town, is in such a state as to be dangerous to the health of persons living in the neighbourhood thereof, and is stated to have aggravated the symptoms of diseases existing in its vicinity. III. That the burial-ground behind the Roman Catholic chapel is very limited in extent, and though only opened about five years since, has already received two layers of human bodies, and is therefore already in a state dangerous to the health of persons living in the neighbourhood thereof, IV. That, saving the rights of the owners of existing vaults and graves, no further interments should take place in that j)ortion of St, George’s burial ground above the church. V. 'I'hat the lower part, consisting of more than half of the whole area of St. George's burial-ground, has not, though consecrated, been hitherto used for interments ; and that, therefore, sufficient means of interment exist within a con- venient distance from the three previously mentioned burial- grounds. WiiEREuroN I Recommend ; I. That your Honourable Board should certify the above facts, and trike such other ste])s as may be neces