Unclaimed ashes to be scattered

[Martin Briscoe]

From the BBC News pages

Unclaimed ashes to be scattered

The unclaimed ashes of 17 people which have been stored for up to 40 years are to be scattered on Loch Ness by a funeral director.

John Fraser and Son in Inverness said it had made exhaustive and unsuccessful efforts to trace family of the remains held in its vaults.

They are the ashes of people who were cremated between 1968 and 1993.

The ashes will be scattered one set at a time in June while a lone piper plays and a minister performs a service.

Funeral director Vicki Fraser said the ceremony was intended to show respect to the deceased.

She said: "As far as we know, all these people came from Inverness and the surrounding area, so we felt it was appropriate to scatter their final remains on the beautiful and timeless loch."

The ashes are of Hannah Provan, from 1968; Irene Bartlett, 1970; APF Dempster, 1971; John McRae, 1973; David Provan, 1974; William Orange, 1974; John Cameron, 1975; David Rousay, 1978; Stafford William Down, no exact date but before 1979; James Heatherill, 1980; John Weir, 1981; Christina Bryson, 1982; Elizabeth RM MacPherson, 1984; Greetta Ross, 1986; Jane Alcock, 1988; Anne Elizabeth Matthew Fraser, 1990, and Ellisavetta Osborne, 1993.

Martin Briscoe

[Martin Briscoe]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/7431760.stm

Page last updated at 11:46 GMT, Tuesday, 3 June 2008 12:46 UK

Loch ceremony for unclaimed ashes

The unclaimed ashes of 13 people have been scattered on Loch Ness after being held in the vaults of a funeral parlour for up to 40 years.

John Fraser and Son in Inverness had the remains of 17 people, but the ashes of four were collected following publicity about the ceremony.

Rev Douglas Clyne led a prayer before the ashes were scattered along with yellow flower petals from a cruiser.

Piper Calum Fraser played at the close of the ceremony.

Rev Clyne, formerly a minister at Fraserburgh Old Parish Church, said it had been an unusual occasion.

He said: "The remains were of 13 people unknown to us and perhaps only known by a very few.

"The setting of the loch and the weather were perfect."

The remains were of people who were cremated between 1968 and the 1990s, but not collected by relatives.

Those that were claimed were not named to protect the families' privacy.

[Maggott]

Seems a good end to their story