I visited some family graves yesterday with my mum. All 3 graves we went to visit were heavily overgrown. The graves at the Sheffield General Cemetery which are in the non-conformist section of the ground are heavily overgrown with brambles. I know this is a problem over the last couple of years - I have on a couple of occasions visited close to the time it has been cut back - but I have never seen one of the stones which continues to be heavily overgrown.
The grave we visited at Burngreave has been swamped by ivy! The stone has been completed engulfed by the ivy.
My question is: are we, as relatives of the occupants of the graves allowed to cut back the brambles/ivy covering the stones or do we contact the keepers of the respective cemeteries? I am more than happy to head down and have gardening apparatus we can use to cut back the vegetation!
If you would like to give Christine Steers at Friends of Burngreave Cemetery a call. Check her e-mail under our MI's. I am sure she will be able to help you.
Dave Yates by the way has been very ill so I dont think we can see him trudging through
any cemeteries in the near future. Get well Dave.
Dear Jon
Burngreave Cemetery and parts of the General Cemetery are maintained by Bereavement Services (16 altogether). Although they do as much as they can, they say that it is the grave owner or relatives (and friends) to keep the grave tidy and would be very happy for you to do the "gardening".
We do some too while searching for plots for people who cannot visit themselves. Dave Yates is an expert! Christine. Friends of Burngreave Cemetery.