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The plan of burial was—to dig a grave, line it with boards, then fill
up with coffins, removing the planks from one side only; when full
another grave was dug alongside, and close enough to make the lining
boards of the one just filled do duty for one side of the new grave—
and in this manner the whole ground has been occupied.
Large numbers of persons who died of Cholera were buried here
in 1849.
The cemetery was closed by an Order in Council, in the year
1855. For many years it remained unaltered; but afterwards the road
called Peel grove was formed as a street, and some houses were built
upon a portion of the ground in which interments had not been made.
In July, 1868, an Order in Council was made, which is as follows:—
AT THE COURT AT WINDSOR, the 7th day of July, 1868.
Now therefore, Her Majesty, by and with the advice of Her Privy Council,
is pleased to order, and it is hereby ordered that the Churchwardens or
such other persons as may have the care of the undermentioned burial
grounds do adopt or cause to be adopted the following measures, viz :
All such parts of the Peel Grove Cemetery, Cambridge Heath, in the Parish
of Bethnal Green, and of the Globe Road Burial Ground, in the Hamlet
of Mile End, in the Parish of Stepney, as are not covered by existing
buildings, monuments, grave stones, or path, to be covered with a living
vegetation.
I am informed that this Order was ultra vires, and of no effect.
So well were the promises made in the prospectus before referred to
carried out that, during Mr. Kelday's lifetime, several attempts were
made to sell the land for building purposes. All the tombstones were
removed and the surface levelled. Since his death it has been in
the market on more than one occasion.
In March, 1882, I received an intimation from the Burial Acts
department of the Home office that a client of Messrs. Pilgrim & Co.,
of 19, Coleman street, E.C., had been enquiring whether houses could
be legally built upon this land if the remains were taken up and
removed to a cemetery.
On the 24th of the month Dr. Hoffman visited the ground on behalf
of the Home office, and met by appointment representatives of the
intending purchaser and the Sanitary Committee of this Yestry.
Such information as could be gathered was placed before Dr.
Hoffman, and he thought that, before giving an opinion, it would be