Memorial inspections are to commence Monday 27th February 2006 and are being undertaken by Peter Mitchell Associates working on behalf of Gosport Borough Council.
Should you have any queries regarding specific grave(s), please contact the Cemetery in writing, confirming the name of the grave(s) to which you refer and giving a decade of bereavement (e.g. 1950’s) in order that the Cemetery Staff can investigate the records to enable them to respond back accordingly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is the Council doing?
A. We are inspecting the memorials to ensure that the Cemetery is safe for visitors and for those people who work on the site.
Q. Are you inspecting every memorial?
A. Yes. There are approximately 15,000 memorials in the cemetery.
Q. Why are you doing this?
A. Unfortunately, in the UK and elsewhere, there have been a number of accidents and fatalities caused by memorials falling onto people. The Council has a duty of care to ensure the health and safety of visitors and staff and the Health and Safety Commission has written to all local authorities to ensure that they check all memorials within their cemeteries.
Q. Who is carrying out the inspections?
A. The Council has appointed Peter Mitchell Associates (PMA) to carry out the inspections. PMA is an expert, independent company that will apply national standards to the test procedure.
Q. How will the safety/stability of the memorials be assessed?
A. This will be achieved through a combination of a visual inspection, hand pressure test and, where appropriate, a measured force test. The risk assessment process will commence with larger memorials, as these have the greater potential to cause death or serious injury. Once these have been assessed, the remaining smaller memorials will be checked. Detailed records will be made of the assessment process, including the causes of any instability.
Q. What have you done to inform people of this proposed work?
A. The Council has taken the following steps to publicise this work through:
- Press releases
- Information posted on the Council’s Website
- Notices displayed throughout the Cemetery – at all entrances and adjacent to all taps.
Q. What will happen if you identify an unsafe memorial?
A. Depending upon the size and type of memorial, we will make the memorial safe by either:
- Providing a wooden stake and a rope to support the memorial or
- Cordoning off very large memorials using wooden stakes and chestnut paling or
- Laying down the memorial on its grave – this is likely to be the case for crosses and headstones with kerbs.
(See photographs below)
Q. What do you mean by ‘laying down’?
A. A special gantry will be used, where necessary, which will enable any memorial to be carefully lifted and lowered gently to the ground. Each memorial laid down in this manner will be positioned neatly within its respective grave space where it will be placed with its inscription remaining visible. This work will be carried out in a caring, respectful and sensitive manner.
Q. Will you be advising the Grave Owners if their memorial has failed the stability test?
A. Where a memorial is found to be unsafe, a notice will be placed on it advising anyone with an interest in the grave to contact the Cemetery Office. Unfortunately, many grave owners do not advise the Cemetery Office of any change of address. However, where the memorial is less than 20 years old, we will write to grave owners at their last known address to advise them that their memorial was found to be unstable.
Q. Do you have contact names and addresses for all grave owners?
A. It is expected that many grave owners will have either moved away and not advised the Cemetery Officer of their new address, or that they themselves have possibly died and the rights of ownership may not have been transferred to the appropriate surviving person. In such cases we will not be able to contact the grave owners.
Q. How can I check that you have the correct and up to date details for the grave(s) that I own?
A. If you contact the Council’s Cemetery Office at: 02392 580181
then these records can be checked. It would be helpful if you can provide the grave number, or the Exclusive Right of Burial grant number, if available, when you make contact. You can also email the office by clicking here...volls001@gosport.gov.uk
Q. If my memorial is assessed as being unsafe what should I do?
A. It is essential that the memorial is correctly reinstated by being securely fixed to an appropriate foundation to ensure that it is stable and safe. This includes being adequately cemented and dowelled and should be carried out by a qualified memorial mason who is on our accredited list.
Q. Will you be inspecting the memorials every year?
A. Once this initial survey is complete then all memorials will have been assessed for ongoing inspections at different time intervals, i.e. annually or possibly after 5 years depending on each memorial’s condition. Should you require any further assistance please contact the Cemetery Office at: 02392 580181
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