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Burial Act, 1857.
Eight licences under this Act, for the removal of human remains,
were received from the Home Office during the year. Exhumation
work is normally carried out in the early hours of the morning, and
in the interests of public health, a Public Health Inspector attends at
the cemetery on each occasion.
Seven of the licences related to the exhumation of the remains
of persons whose relatives wished to have them reinterred in family
graves, in some cases returned to their native land for reinterment.
The eighth licence was issued following the discovery of human remains
beneath the foundations of houses being constructed in Malvern
Close, Mitcham, the land having been formerly part of the Streatham
Park Cemetery.
The human remains of some 341 persons were exhumed and
reinterred in graves within the cemetery boundary. This work took
three weeks to complete, with exhumations taking place throughout
the working day. A Public Health Inspector was in attendance every
day to ensure that the exhumations were carried out in a proper
manner.
Although, initially, the cemetery authorities were unable to account
for the remains, they eventually produced records showing that
the remains found came from medical schools and schools of anatomy.
Following the reinterment of the remains in communal graves,
a committal service was held attended by a member of my staff together
with representatives of the builders and the cemetery authority.
Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act, 1960.
The number of sites which were subject to licence or consent on
1st January, 1971, was seven. Three of these sites, namely Gale's
Yard, Fountain Road; Dennard's Yard, Gladstone Road; and Gray's
Yard, Fountain Road; were included in the areas covered by the Mitcham
(Fountain Road) C.P.O., 1963, and the London Borough of
Merton (Mitcham North West Quadrant) C.P.O., 1968, and the licences
in respect thereof may be considered to be terminated. The four
remaining sites are: —
33 South Road, Wimbledon, S.W.19.
Consent on 2.2.61 for seven caravans.
46 Deburgh Road, Wimbledon, S.W.19.
Consent on 2.2.61 for two caravans.
Swing's Yard, 37a Western Road, Mitcham.
Licensed on 27.1.61 for four caravans.
Gray's Yard, 230-232 London Road, Mitcham.
Licensed on 27.1.61 for sixteen caravans.
The Caravan Sites Act, 1968.
The periodic survey of sites occupied by caravans without licence
or consent was continued, and in January, 1972, 27 occupied and three
unoccupied caravans were recorded.
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