Mass grave of babies is found in British cemetery just yards from unmarked where 300 bodies were uncovered
A mass grave of babies has been discovered in a British cemetery, just yards from where 300 bodies were discovered earlier this year.
The second unmarked grave was identified at Royton Cemetery in the Greater Manchester area, next to the churchyard chapel.
Oldham Council has confirmed the identification, although it remains unclear how many bodies the plot contains.
The discovery was made during a candlelight vigil held last Sunday, December 15, in memory of the children discovered in the first unmarked grave.
The discovery of that first mass grave took place in September, where 145 babies, 128 children and 29 adults were found.
Records show that the first grave, named 1A-360, contains not only stillborn babies, but also babies and children who died days, weeks, months and years after birth. Adults over the age of 74 are also buried in the grave.
City Councilor Maggie Hurley was contacted Sunday evening by a vigil attendee who informed her of the location of the second plot after locating the remains of a family member.
Speaking to LDRS, Councilor Hurley said: ‘We’ve just found another one. This is a social injustice on a scale I could never have imagined.”
A second unmarked mass grave has been discovered at Royton Cemetery in the Greater Manchester area
Earlier this year, 300 bodies were discovered at the same cemetery in Manchester
A spokesperson for Oldham Council noted that the council site, known historically as the ‘pauper’s graves’ and more recently as the ‘local authority burials’, was known to the Council.
The Council is also offering support to affected families with a dedicated hotline for people to call.
Both mass graves will be marked by the erection of memorial benches and plaques to commemorate those buried there, Royton Council has said.
After discovering the first plot, which measured only 12 by 15 feet, councilors stated that it might not be the only plot in Royton Cemetery.
Before the 1980s, it was common for stillborn babies to be taken from their parents without further details about where they were buried.
Instead, relatives were told by medical staff that their child was buried that same day next to a ‘nice person’. However, babies were often buried in mass graves instead.
Mass graves of babies have been found all over Britain over the past twenty years.
Several mass graves for stillborn babies have been found in recent times in places such as Wirral, Huddersfield, Lancashire, Devon and Middlesbrough.
Families were gathered at Royton Cemetery for a candlelight vigil for those discovered in the first plot when the discovery of the second mass grave was made.