Cleaning up, planting flowers...whom to ask?

[ctait]

Hello everyone,

My husband has just returned from Ireland and he successfully located his ancestors grave site. The stone is in very good shape but we would like to have some trimming/cleaning up done, maybe some bulbs/flowering perennials planted around the gravestone before the ground gets too frozen?? They are buried at Belfast City Cemetery.

If you know who we could contact to hire these services on a yearly basis that would be much appreciated.

Thank you for reading,

Claudia Tait

[aghadowey]

Considering the temperatures here lately (and the snow we've just gotten) it might be a better idea to wait but try contacting Belfast City Cemetery to see if they have a list or suggestions.

[ctait]

Thank you! We will do that, great idea.

[stevieuk]

There are some companies that do what you ask, they`ll tend a grave, clean, put flowers on the grave & weed etc for you & will take Photos to email to you.

Whether they have similar in Belfast I don`t know?

However most cemeteries have strict rules on what is/is not allowed & its well worth checking this out first. You will almost certainly find that you`ll need to be the owner of the grave or have written permission from the owner before being allowed to do anything, as far as I know this is pretty much a standard rule, however leaving a bunch of flowers is unlikely to cause a problem.

However I wish you well.

Regards.

Steve

[ctait]

Thank you Steve, it makes sense to me, my husband did leave some flowers but at this point it would be kinda complicated to prove we are family members based only on online records and no official documents.....yet.  But thats a nice idea, thank you.

[stevieuk]

If the lease has expired the grave ownership reverts back to the cemetery & depending on the cemetery anyone can/should be able to purchase a new lease thus becoming the new owner of the grave.

The cost should be reasonable if no further burials can be accommodated, even if there is space many will not want to be buried on top of someone else. But if you own it it`ll allow you to have proper maintenance carried out on the headstone if you wish & it won`t become one of those uncared for graves I so often see.

 Its worth asking whether its still currently in dedication & the cost of purchase, if it is in dedication there`s a remote likelyhood that the owner is still alive & you maybe lucky & find a lost relative (although confidentiality will preclude the cemetery giving you full details - you may get a rough location <it`ll depend on your approach as to how much they tell you>)?

[aghadowey]

Bear in mind that most, if not all, councils in Northern Ireland have different sets of fees based on whether or not the purchaser resides within that council area.

[stevieuk]

Bear in mind that most, if not all, councils in Northern Ireland have different sets of fees based on whether or not the purchaser resides within that council area.

That`s no different to the UK mainland, but privately owned/run cemeteries don`t differentiate.

Here is a link to a UK Cemetery (a Council one) & their fees.

http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/CommunityAndLiving/BirthsDeathsAndMarriages/Deaths/PayingForAFuneral/CemeteryCosts.htm

A few things that I find incredible.

Exhumation and reburial fees

Resident exhumation    £2148
Non resident exhumation    £8592

How does it cost more for a non resident?
The exhumation is the same.

& then.

Resident reburial    £1056
Non resident reburial    £4328

If they are already in a grave then they won`t be taking a grave from a resident, talk about ripping people off.

& we have.

Burial fees

Resident over 16 years and older    £1082
Non resident, over 2 years and adult    £4328

? digging a grave is the same regardless.

Many of their other fees are shocking.

[aghadowey]

It's not just councils that impose such fees to ousiders- one local parish church had a re-claiming a few years ago and the fee for non-church members was something like £50 per grave so many local people (myself included) did not reclaim the old ground.