Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Saviour's]
This page requires JavaScript
16
(e.) "A recreation ground is very much needed for the use and
recreation of the inhabitants of the surrounding district, containing
as it does within a small radius from the site of the
Cross Bones, several large model or industrial dwellings
tenanted by thousands of the working-class, men, women and
children, to whom an open space of the kind, if dedicated to
the public, would bo a considerable boon ; moreover, the Cross
Bones Burial Ground would be available for, and, might be
used as a playground by the children attending the Saint
Saviour's Parochial Schools adjoining.
(f.)"Your Memoralists have made repeated attempts to purchase
the burial ground in question, but have been deterred and
prevented from so doing by the enormous price asked by the
late owner for the freehold of the same, and they are still
willing to purchase the ground for the purposes of a public
recreation grouud, if it can be acquired at a reasonable price.
(g.) "The Metropolitan Public Gardens Association attach great
importance to the acquisition of the burial ground in question,
and its dedication to the public for the purposes named.
(h) "There is no other space in tho Parish of St. Saviour which can
by any possibility become available for the purposes of a
recreation ground, and the only space accessible to the
inhabitants at the present time is a very small garden, kept
up by voluntary subscriptions, and quite inadequate in size.
(i.) "Should you refuse your license, the ground cannot be built upon,
and so long as it remains a vacant space there is a possibility
of its being acquired by the public authorities at some future
time.
(j) "The removal of human remains, in such a quantity as is known
to exist in the ground, might not be unattended with danger to
the health of the inhabitants, and it would also outrage the
feelings of the community to a considerable extent, as burials
have taken place there even within the recollection of those
now living.
"Your Memorialists respectfully submit that, under the circumstanoes
above set forth, you would be justified in refusing to consent to the
removal of human remains from the burial ground, and that in so doing
you would only be acting consistently with the course adopted by your
predecessor in office in the year 1884.
"Your Memorialists therefore humbly pray that for the reasons
above set forth you will refuse to grant a license for the removal of human
remains from the Cross Bones Burial Ground, and thereby prevent the
erection of buildings upon the same or any part thereof.
" And your Memorialists will ever pray, &c."