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parishes in London at different times since 1852, and it thus conies about that the provision for
burial at the present time consists mainly of burial grounds provided under the Burial Acts by local
authorities, and of cemeteries provided under special Acts by private companies. There are also
a few smaller places, namely, two parish churchyards in the outer part of the
metropolis still in use, and some private places belonging to religious bodies.
Since the passing of the Burial Act in 1852 the number of cemeteries belonging to
companies has been increased by the formation of others which have been opened with the approval of
the Home Secretary, while one of those included in the schedule of the Act has been closed. As
regards the burial grounds provided under the Act by the parish authorities two have already been filled,
so far as new graves are concerned, and new grounds have had to be obtained, and in the case of several
others the area of ground originally laid out has had to be extended owing to the filling up of space.
(8.) The regulations made under the Burial Acts have undergone revision at different dates
since 1852, and each burial ground of a local authority is subject to the set of regulations in force
at the date of its approval. The regulations, it has already been said, do not apply to those private
cemeteries which existed in 1852, except so far as relates to common interments, but a private
cemetery which has been opened since 1852, and hence requiring the approval of a Secretary of
State, would be subject at the time of its approval to conditions similar to those contained in the
regulations.
(9.) With a view to carrying out the instruction of the Committee, I have made visits to all
the cemeteries at present in general use situated within the county, and also to a considerable
number situated without the county boundary, but in such proximity as to be largely available
for the use of residents within the county. The latter include all cemeteries provided outside the
county by London parochial authorities as well as the Necropolis cemetery at Woking, which,
although at a considerable distance, is, owing to the special railway facilities which exist for the
conveyance of corpses from London, largely used for the burial of persons who die in the county.
The following account regarding these cemeteries and the subject of burial is based upon these
inspections, and upon the information obtained in conversation with the secretaries, superintendents,
clerks of burial boards or burial committees of vestries, and others intimately connected
with the places of burial.
(10.) In addition to these places of interment, there are others in which burial occasionally
takes place either under certain restrictions from the Home Office or because graves belonging to
certain families have not yet been completely filled. These include a few churchyards, and some
burial places provided by burial boards, closed except for members of families possessing graves
not yet filled; and a few private places of interment for the use of members of certain religious
institutions. These places have not been regarded as forming part of the general provision for
the disposal of the dead, and have not been taken into consideration in the following account.
(11.) As has been already stated at the commencement of the report, the instruction of the
Committee is "to inquire into the condition of the cemeteries and burial grounds within the
metropolitan area, and to report whether any further provision for such purpose is necessary, and
also whether it is expedient that any regulation should be laid down in respect of such places in
the interest of public health and decency."
(12.) This instruction has been interpreted as one to inquire into the disposal of the dead by
means of burial, and has not been regarded as including a consideration of cremation as a
method of dealing with the dead. Incidentally reference has been made in the report to
cremation (which must now be regarded as a recognised practical proceeding) with a view to
forming some idea as to the influence which it possibly may have in the future upon burial.
Beyond such mention the subject of cremation has not been dealt with. As regards burial in the
earth, it has been found necessary to consider not only the method which is universally practised
at the present time; that is one in which the bodies are buried at considerable depths from the surface,
in which several bodies are placed in the same grave, one above the other, and in which, as
final result, as soon as all the ground has been used the burial place is closed and never used
again, but also another method,—which has been advocated chiefly by Sir Seymour Haden—the
principles of which are burial near the surface, the use of perishable coffins, and the restriction
of one body to a grave, with a view to the proper and complete decay of the corpse and the possible
use of the ground again, after a sufficient interval of time has elapsed to ensure complete decay and
to avoid any objection on grounds of sentiment. The latter method appears to present so many
advantages as regards the conditions most suitable for insuring decay of organic matter, in
comparison with the method now in vogue that considerable prominence has been given to it in the
following report.
(13.) The subject has been dealt with in the following way—A general account, based upon
the information obtained during visits to cemeteries, is given as regards (A) the availability of the
existing places for burial, (B) the expediency of making further regulations in regard to them,
and this is followed by (C) the conclusions which are indicated by this information. A detailed
account is then given regarding each burial ground and cemeteiy. Finally in the form of
an appendix, information obtained partly in 1897 by means of a circular letter from the Council
to the various authorities concerned, and partly during this inquiry, is given, showing the provision
made by poor law guardians for the burial of paupers, with the charges in each case, and
the parochial bodies (and the sanitary authorities to which they correspond) which have
provided burial grounds, under the powers conferred on them by the Burial Acts, in place of the
old churchyards.
General Statement.
(A.)—The availability of existing cemeteries and burial places.
(14.) The information which has been obtained as to the amount of ground unused at the
present time in existing cemeteries is not such as to enable more than an approximate estimate