Streatham Park Cemetery, London

[stevieuk]

A little more info that may be of interest.

They have over 100,000 graves, some have more than 1 body in, some graves may have more than 3 in, as to the total number buried...I don`t know.

I think they have 28 of the BIG Burial books which list graves by number.

They have another load of books, which are listed by years (more than 1 yr/book) & contain an alphabetical list so as long as you know the name & year you`ve a chance of locating the grave.

The number of Cremations carried out is 200,000+ if info is correct.

IIRC 2002 was when they started using PCs for cremation entries & 2005 for burials, before these dates they`ll need to be manually looked up, I might be slightly out on dates.

Hope this helps.

Steve

[ronni]

The opening hours are Monday to Friday 9-4. They are open a bit later in the summer from April but all year round at the hours I have quoted.

I am searching for the burial site of my great grandparents Samuel and Margaret Morris. Wierd thing is that the office cannot find a record for either of them in their books. We know they are buried there as there are living relatives who have confirmed this fact. They bought a plot in perpetuity so I want to get to the bottom of this.

The office are extremely helpful and have really tried to find the record but have had no luck.

I was interested to read the comment about the change in the land in parts of the cemetery and that gravestones were not replaced following work as this could be the reason why we cannot even find the gravestone itself.

It's really frustrating to be honest as I am trying to help my father out on this one and I guess he might like to put things right there as far as the gravestone is concerned but without a record how can he?

Samuel and Margaret died 1946 and 1949 but this has to be confirmed by a death certificate first.

Any suggestions?

[stevieuk]

The Office is open 9-5 Monday to Friday all year round.

The Ground opening times do vary through the year.

The grounds are open 365 days/year, as are the toilets & Book of Remberance Room (theres 4-5 books) During office hrs the Staff will glady turn to any page you`d like to see, you do not have to come on the day of entry to see an entry...On occasions if you are lucky to catch a member of Staff on a weekend they will Turn to a page (only certain members have access to the keys).

Ronni

Are you certain they were buried at Streatham Park cememtery? There is also a Streatham Cemetery which isn`t too far away, this comes under Lambeth see link below.

Is it possible they were Jewish? There is a Jewish Cemetery ajoining Streatham Park.

Link to Lambeth
http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/Services/CommunityLiving/DeathsFuneralsCremations/Cemeteries.htm

As you say the date of death/s was 1946 & 1949 & you are waiting for confirmation it may simply be that the Staff were looking in the wrong books?

They have books by years in alphabetical order & then they have books in Grave numbers, so the process is look at year books, find grave number, look in grave books (which will have details of owner of grave, plus other details).

If you can confirm the dates as absolutely correct, I`ll see what I can find out. Its easy for me to pop in to the Office & I know all the Lovely ladies in there...

Does any family member have any paperwork relating to the agreement?

 Regards.

Steve

[ronni]

Hi Steve,

Well I have become acquainted with Michelle and Karen over the phone and they are very nice and have tried to help and have also spoken to Ian who I believe is connected to the Jewish cemetry and they have looked from 1940 up to 1950 or 51 and not a dicky bird of record. Ian came up with something in the Jewish cemetry (an Alfred Morris buried with a Gladys Morris) but it is not them (It think the dates were wrong).

My grandads grave was white with stones in the middle and the name Morris written on the stone.

I think I have reached the stage where I will have to pay now for them to do an exhaustive search so if you are willing to have a look I would be very grateful. I would come up myself but I live in Bath and I will have to wait for the school holidays.

They did find an Samuel Morris buried in a common grave but that is not the one as he bought a plot in perpetuity and his wife joined him a few years later. Margaret Morris.

They were definitely buried there because my Dad described the theatrical monument and a church that used to be there and was pulled down. Also my dads cousin has confirmed to me that he is right. It is definitely Streatham Park even though he died in Southwark. Alfred Smith were the undertakers.

I read that possibly because of ground movement their grave was damaged and when all the work to the ground was done the grave stones were not replaced - can't understand why but it is very sad.

I am wondering whether Samuel Morris was born Alfred Samuel Morris as his dad was Alfred Morris and it was common to have your father's name. Until I get a death certificate I will not know. I will have to take pot luck with the death cert.

My dad thinks its late 1945 or 1946 as he remembers being 16 and then he thinks his grandma died before he was 21 i.e. before 1951 as my dad was too young to take on the tenancy of the property where he lived with them.

It's just a puzzle.

[stevieuk]

I`ll see what if anything I can find out.

But given the reference to the Theatrical Monument which is still there & the reference to a church, which was the Burial Chapel, no one there knows the actual date it was removed/demolished. There were 3 other chapels, one is now the Office, one is now the Book of Remeberance & the other is still in use (it was refurbished not long ago & is a very nice chapel...I might be able to post a photo or two).

Given the above, yes it was definetely Streatham Park Cemetery.....

I did wonder if/maybe the entries had been made incorrectly, maybe using a Christian Name rather than Surname, but not both entries...& at different times/years....but have dismissed that.

Alfred Smiths is on the corner of Meopham Road & it was there when I moved to Mitcham back in the mid 60`s aged 5yrs, always a chance they may have something on record?

The Lady who works there is nice, could be worth a phone call, they may have some archived records or may be willing to have a look?

They do have a few other branches so maybe they could have the records?

Bit of a long shot, I know, but never say never.

Is it possible that the surnames were mis-interpreted by the person entering the details? Just a thought, but if the same person wrote the names down on whatever forms they had too back then for both & the M looked like some other letter then the person who entered them may have interpreted them as another letter? Thats a possible scenario.

The Theatrical Monument is to have the area in front of it Landscaped this year, the Musical Hall Guild of Great Britain & America have gained some funding from the National Lottery I believe. They are quite nice people.

[les_looking]

edit

[Plummiegirl]

Anyone looking for help with this cemetery is best contacting the cemetery direct.  It comes under the London Borough of Wandsworth.
Oh boy are they helpful when you phone them!!!! Rude was one word I would use.  And they will not answer ANY questions over the phone, you have to write in and enclose a cheque for £30.00. 
My pet hate: Wandsworth Coucil
My g/granddad is there.

[ronni]

Yes I am aware of all those entries. Thank you. In their lives they did live in Oswin Street but we are not sure which number, my Dad remembers 43 not 42 and the house in Oswin street was destroyed in the war and then they were housed in Pastor St which became Temple st. Finally 39 Crampton St which is where both of them died at home.

Margaret was nee Kelly and it is possible that they came from Ireland although I am not 100%.

Samuel's Dad was Alfred Morris (according to their marriage certificate) That's why I think his name may have been Samuel.

Onwards onwards.

[ronni]

One more thing, my dad describes the burial site as follows:

You go in the gates, there is a lodge on the right (not sure if this is still there) you walk straight ahead and you come to a junction where there is a church ( no longer) and you go past the church and then the grave is somewhere over to the right.

Any photos you have would be welcome.

Alfred Smith's was the Southwark branch.