Mount Vernon Cemetery Edinburgh Scotland

[Templar75]

Hi Monica,

               is it possible please to pass this message on to the whole site.

Today as part of a request from a Member to take a photo of a headstone at Mount Vernon Cemetery in Edinburgh, when I arrived I was told that unfortunately vandals had set fire to the Cemetery offices, in doing so they have destroyed the old books with all the entries in them dating back to around 1895.

This now means that anyone wishing information on burials or who is buried there will be unable to do so, I feel affected here as my grandfather was the head grave digger there up until 1935, I am sure that many a time he would have written details of a burial in the books from time to time.

Anyone wishing details on family or just searching should contact the Archdiocese.

Best regards.

Archie.

[MonicaL]

Archie, how very sad and shocking is this 

Were the records kept at the cemetery office the only copy of these registers?

Mention of the incident here http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/Graveyard-wrecked-by-yobs.6513249.jp

Monica

[Templar75]

Hi Monica,

               according to the chap who guided me to a grave he said they were all lost, as far as I know the books were kept on shelves so in saying that they would be totally destroyed as was the office building.

As far as the newspaper clip stating that Liberton Kirk had fallen stones this is incorrect, the Edinburgh Council in their wisdom ordered that all stones that might look dangerous should be pushed over, these orders were passed on to their workers, the Council should pay for the erecting of the stones but either way the tax payer gets the bill.

This all happened when one youngster who was playing in a grave yard in Edinburgh pushing stones over was killed carrying out the act and another injured.

Mount Vernon has never allowed this to happen, if any stones are broken or lying flat then it is local yobs who have carried out the act.

I was told that anyone wishing details of loved ones will now have to get in touch with the Archdiocese but I think the information may be limited.

Hope this helps.

Cheers.

Archie.

[MonicaL]

What a pity copies of the registers weren't also kept off site  A lesson there to be learnt for sure, pity too late for the Mount Vernon's ledgers.

Monica

[lyndyloo6]

This is bad news but I do think that it may be that the registers are kept on site as when I asked about my stillborn sister at Liberton they went and got the book and we searched it together and then they took me to the plot where she is buried.  You would think in this day and age they would have copies, but maybe that is just me in my wishful thinking....

Regards,
Lynda

[kerkyras]

Hi, just saw this post on here and thought I would like to add, that I had to look for a few graves and headstones last summer, and had no problem as the registers were there and we were able to find who we were looking for. So unless the fire happened recently the books are there.
Also the stones that have been laid down because they were 'dangerous' for children to 'play' near, is that not what playgrounds are for, not cemeteries ?
This is the actions of the PC brigade as per usual, some stones have been there for hundred of years without falling down, and probably would have survived a great deal longer without the interference of said 'brigade.
Rant over, sorry.

Lizzy

[Templar75]

Hi kerkyras,

                    I take it you were talking about Mount Vernon where you got the details ? and not Liberton Kirk, if it was the former then they must have got a copy from the Archdiocese since my visit.

In your remark about the PC Brigade can I as what you mean please as regards to PC ?.

Cheers.

Archie.

[MonicaL]

Archie, I think the PC in Lizzy's post referes to 'political correctness'...

Monica 

[tidybooks]

Hi,

I can confirm that the Mount Vernon cemetery records are in the SP website's RC death section, I have not checked the complete records, but you can get home address from them, age of deceased, date of death and date of interment, whether grave was private or common.  Some have the undertaker's names who booked interment and some have the RC chapel as well, although not complete by any means.

Tom