Robin Longbottom
Oakworth
Thursday, February 8, 2018 07:39 |
Wreaths taken from graves - St Thomas's
I called into St Thomas's last Sunday to find that wreaths had been taken from four family graves, trashed and dumped into a green wheelie bin. I have reported the matter to the vicar. My mother has put wreaths on her mother's grave for the past 82 years and the family have always removed them after the anniversary of her death, 16 February 1936. I should like the person or persons responsible to come forward and explain themselves.
|
Anne Matthews nee Currie
Sutton-in-Craven
Thursday, February 8, 2018 17:14 |
I've been in church yard today with flowers for my parents grave and the wreath that was put on had been taken off. I noticed a relatives grave had also been taken off. I was thinking a relative had taken them off. Wonder why that's been done? |
Robin Longbottom
Oakworth
Saturday, February 10, 2018 07:39 |
I have had a quick look online and it appears that a few other cemeteries have, in recent years, removed what they refer to as - Christmas wreaths - about the end of January. Wreaths are tokens of remembrance not Christmas decorations, they are evergreen and do not deteriorate over the period of a month. I have not noticed wreaths at cenotaphs having been removed after a month. Whilst I appreciate that large municipal cemeteries have a considerable maintenance job on their hands, perhaps in Sutton we could be left to look after our own graves as we have done, in our case, for the past 80 or so years. I emailed the Vicar last Sunday and will advise further when I have received a reply. |
Robin Longbottom
Oakworth
Sunday, February 18, 2018 16:35 |
I received a reply from the Vicar yesterday. Apparently the wreaths were removed because they were considered to be 'past their best'. |
Anne Matthews nee Currie
Sutton-in-Craven
Sunday, February 18, 2018 17:49 |
I'm really disappointed in the reply you received Robin. Our wreath would have been on the grave approx 6 weeks made up of holly and berries. I visit the grave once a month! |
Simon Collings
Sutton
Monday, February 19, 2018 09:01 |
I'm sorry and understand that you feel upset about what's happened. Helen's reference to 'past their best' was not specifically about your wreaths but related to the fact that very often grave adornments are left too long and do become unsightly resulting in people complaining that the graveyard is a mess. (Dammed if we do and dammed if we don't).
I understand that you feel aggrieved as your wreaths weren't past their best and that you are diligent in looking after your relative's graves. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. St Thomas' has just a few volunteers who put a lot of effort into trying to keep the church and graveyard in a manageable state. They are a diminishing and increasingly elderly group of volunteers. Whoever removed your wreaths obviously made a judgment call about when to remove the large number of Christmas related adornments. They get it wrong sometimes, but there is no malice and they are only trying their best. We'd be delighted if more people were willing to help with running and maintaining the church for the benefit of our community today and for the future. Thank you for raising your concerns.
|
Alan Smith
Sutton
Monday, February 19, 2018 11:46 |
I am one of the volunteers who for a number of years have worked to try and keep the church graveyard tidy,how I wish that the comment was correct regarding those with graves look after them, there are some very well kept graves I accept but there are others that no doubt have not had any attention since the time of the burial. |
