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23
BOROUGH CREMATION SERVICE
In October 1957, the Borough Council entered into an agreement
with the General Cemetery Company whereby a reduced standard charge
of four guineas would apply for each Chelsea resident in respect of
whom cremation was carried out at the Kensal Green Crematorium, and
in thirty-three instances the required arrangements were effected.
It is apparent that national approval for cremation is steadily
strengthening, due, to a certain extent, to the elimination of the
understandable distress attendant upon interments as well as the
indifferent weather conditions which frequently have to be contended
with.
A perusal of the following table will show that since 1951 the
number of crematoria established in the country has more than doubled.
In 1946, 50, 160 (8.9% of the total annual deaths) expressed a wish
to be cremated, whilst the figures for 1958 were 180,075 and 30.6%
respectively.