GRAVE CONCERNS
Neighbours hit out at cemetery expansion plans
Residents of a Rutherglen street are in shock after South Lanarkshire Council began investigating new grave sites directly behind their gardens – without telling them.
Alarmed neighbours on Broomieknowe Drive, which backs on to Rutherglen Cemetery, woke up on Monday to discover work on potential new plots had started right next to their homes. Previously, a border strip had been in place to ensure there was a gap between the cemetery and the properties. But several new lairs could now be positioned right beside fences, hedges and gates. The concerned residents told the Reformer they feel uncomfortable about the close proximity of the potential new plots, both for themselves and for the grieving families of loved ones who may be laid to rest there. They are also furious the council gave no prior notice of its plans. Resident Karen Docherty said: “I can’t believe it. The council are aiming to squeeze these plots in where there just isn’t room.” The cemetery is almost full to capacity and the local authority has investigated several possible areas of expansion in recent years.
Residents who live near Rutherglen Cemetery are facing a grave situation – after South Lanarkshire Council began investigating new plots next to their gardens without telling them.
Residents on Broomieknowe Drive were stunned on Monday to wake up and find diggers had already started work testing the suitability of new lairs.
The cemetery is already near to capacity, and the local authority have been looking at ways to expand the site.
Previously a “border strip” had been in place to ensure that there was sufficient space between the cemetery and the back gardens of houses on the street.
However, these new proposed plots have been placed directly behind the properties, in some cases stopping just inches short of fences and gates.
Karen Docherty, whose home is one of those affected, told the Reformer: “I can’t believe they are doing this – they are squeezing them in where there is just no room. It means we will effectively lose our back gardens, because out of respect I wouldn’t want my kids playing out there while there are people grieving just over the hedge.
“It would be awkward for anyone to mourn there too; to be at a grave and having people in their garden right behind it.
“We know the council need to find more spaces, but it seems disrespectful having them there.
“About two weeks ago we noticed there had been markings put down at the back, and we thought they must be looking at it.
“We messaged the council and they replied, but never mentioned any work like this was starting.
“It was a shock on Monday to see them there. It looks like there’s five or six graves already being excavated.”
In an email sent to residents last Friday, the council’s Bereavement Services team stated: “We are checking a few areas within the cemetery to see if any of them are suitable for additional lairs, but this may not be possible for a number of reasons including soil conditions and available depth.”
Both Rutherglen and Westburn cemeteries are almost at full capacity.
Rutherglen South councillor Robert Brown told the Reformer: “This is a difficult situation, but I think it would have been reasonable to consult the residents nearby.
“There is a shortage of ground for burials but the cemetery plots are extremely close to the houses and previously there has been a border strip there which avoided this problem.
“I have asked the council to review the situation and talk to the local residents about it.”
Head of facilities, waste and grounds services, Alistair McKinnon, said: “Initial works have been carried out at Rutherglen Cemetery to investigate whether an area of land is suitable for additional lairs.
“If the land is suitable we will, as a courtesy, write to any residents who have properties which are in close proximity to this area. This is primarily to advise them that the area should not be used as a shortcut.
“There are capacity issues at Rutherglen Cemetery and we have to try and increase the number of lairs.”
The head of the West Whitlawburn Housing Co-Operative is to stand down after more than 30 years of fighting for tenants’ rights.
Paul Farrell, 61, has decided to retire next month, having served with the co-op since shortly after its launch in 1989.
Mr Farrell has become a well-known figure in the area and has continually championed community-controlled housing.
He told the Reformer: “It’s been a great honour and privilege to have led the WWHC staff team since the organisation’s inception in 1989.
“The WWHC management committee and staff have been wonderfully supportive of me over these many years.
“They are special people, who are the foundation and cornerstone of a tremendously successful organisation.
“We have achieved an enormous amount together, with many groundbreaking firsts.
“The Whitlawburn pioneers who led the stock transfer in 1989 were true visionaries and together we embarked on a remarkable journey.
“I am delighted to be leaving WWHC in such a tremendously strong position, as I hand over the baton to my successor.”
Among the highlights of Paul’s time with the co-op include becoming the first Scottish winners of the Big Society Award, with representatives travelling to Downing Street to receive the accolade; earning the first Lottery grant in Scotland for the Community Resource Centre; establishing the first fibre to the home network in the UK with Whitcomm becoming the first group to establish a not-for-profit tenant owned energy supply company.
Paul, who leaves at the beginning of next month, added: “I have no regrets, just a few disappointments with external agencies recently.
“For me the Scottish Government has not actively promoted housing cooperatives, the Scottish Housing Regulator has a blinkered approach and often unconstructive behaviour and the local community health initiative has failed to do anything significant about health inequalities in Whitlawburn.
“I would like to send my very best wishes to my successor and the WWHC committee and staff team. I know they will admirably continue the successes, culture and identity of WWHC that will lead to further outstanding achievements in the years to come.”
WWHC’s depute director, Stephanie Marshall, will work as acting director until the position can be advertised.
WWHC chairperson Anne Anderson said: “On behalf of our committee, staff, members and tenants, I want to thank Paul for his leadership, dedication and guidance over the last 32 years.
“Together we have changed West Whitlawburn for the better with Paul’s contributions driving the co-operative forward and giving us a record of significant success and ground-breaking achievements.
“He will be missed by everyone and we wish Paul the very best for the next chapter of his life.”
Rutherglen historians are appealing for Reformer readers’ help in a research project they hope will “bring alive” privileged local men, known as burgesses, of the 1800s, who erected stones to mark the territory and maintain the identity of the burgh’s royalty boundary.
According to tradition, every new burgess was required to provide, at their own expense, a boundary, or ‘march’ stone marked with their initials and the year.
The boundary and stones were inspected by the Provost, magistrates and burgh officials at least once every three years.
This inspection – the first record of which was in 1664 – became known as the Redding or Riding of the Marches, later taking place on Landemer Day. Any stones found to be missing or damaged would be ordered to be replaced.
In researching the stones over a number of years, members of Rutherglen Heritage Society have discovered a photograph of a group of men, taken in 1894 during an inspection of the boundary stones.
Although the burgesses who were present that day are listed in Rutherglen Lore, compiled by the town’s foremost historian and librarian, W. Ross Shearer in 1922, the names do not tie up with the photograph taken in 1894.
Carrick McDonald, convener of
Rutherglen Heritage Society, told the Reformer: “In our current research, we are trying to put names to faces of some of the local burgesses who provided those stones. By doing this, we hope to ‘bring them alive’, rather than leave them as names in long-forgotten council minutes.
“The only man whose identity we’re pretty confident about is John Francis Givens, who is seen to the right of the 1574 boundary stone, holding a walking crook. He owned the Glencairn Bar in the Main Street in the 1880s, and was closely involved with Glencairn FC.
“The Givens family donated what became known as the Burgh Cup, which we are also currently researching.”
Heritage Society members believe former Provosts Lang and Kirkwood also appear in the photograph.
Carrick says historical records reveal that, at one time, there were 370 stones – but by the 1950s, only 130 had survived.
This number had reduced to around 70 by 1974 and, by 1983, only 57 stones were known to be in situ, with another five having been taken into museum collections to ensure their preservation.
Stones were positioned all over the burgh, often at natural features such as burns, and the oldest stone – known only from photographs – was dated 1574.
Many stones are marked with a letter ‘R’ for Rutherglen. Although their size and style vary greatly, stones that were erected in the same year have striking similarities.
Many of the remaining stones now sit in church grounds, commercial premises or private gardens.
Carrick added: “It would be great if Reformer readers could help us with this research.
“It may be that they come up with information about the men in the photo which we could include in the website feature when we pull all our burgesses research together.
“Some of these men will be great, or even great, great grandfathers of people who still live in Rutherglen, and of expat Ruglonians among the Reformer’s readership. I know it’s a bit of a long shot, but you never know.”
Readers can contact the Heritage Society through its website: rutherglenheritage.wix. com/website-46, or by e-mail at rutherglenheritagesociety@gmail.com