Birth father's grave in Bishop's Stortford

[VillageDuckpond]

I have only comparatively recently discovered where my birth father is buried and to my surprise there was no gravestone so decided I would arrange to get one and have it placed in the designated place.

This morning I rang the cemetery office to find out how I should proceed and was told that the details are with his family (he died in Bishop's Stortford in 1954) but the person I spoke to could not give me any details of who to contact.

Has anyone else found themselves in a similar situation and, if so, how did they proceed, please?

I shall look forward to hearing from you ...

[CaroleW]

If somebody else owns the deeds to the grave, you would not be allowed to erect a headstone without their permission.   The Cemetary office cannot release details of that person to you - privacy rules.

If he died in 1954 you would have to trace living members of his family yourself to find the deed holder

[VillageDuckpond]

If somebody else owns the deeds to the grave, you would not be allowed to erect a headstone without their permission.   The Cemetary office cannot release details of that person to you - privacy rules.

If he died in 1954 you would have to trace living members of his family yourself to find the deed holder

Thank you for getting in touch with your advice. I am hoping to speak to my great-niece tomorrow in the hope she has some suggestions.
Sasha

[CaroleW]

I don't know whether it's the same in all cemetaries but I had to get planning permission & pay a fee when I wanted to put a granite surround & top on my grandparents grave.  A few years later after their remaining daughter died I wanted to erect a headstone but would have had to pay again for planning permission so had a "cushion" on the granite top with their names.

[LizzieL]

Have we established whether the cemetery office won't give details of the grave "owner" because of privacy legislation or can't because they don't have up to date contact details? The burial was 68 years ago after all.
About 5 years ago we got permission from BS cemetery office to have some family headstones repaired and in one case re-erected as it had been vandalised and broken off at ground level. The office were most helpful in also tracing two infant burials which were with their parents put not recorded on the parents headstones. They would have been OH's great uncles. This was in the old cemetery though and last family burial in the plot was in the 1930's so probably "ownership" had long expired and they were only too happy for a descendant to have repairs done.   

[VillageDuckpond]

Hi LizzieL ... many thanks for getting back to me with your two suggestionss.

I have now 'phoned the BS cemetery office and the lady there has no record if the holder of the grave deed is still alive. However, she did suggest I follow his sister's line to see if there are any living descendants I could try and trace ... I can see this will be my week-end task🤣

Again many thanks ...
Sasha

[LizzieL]

I do hope you are successful

[VillageDuckpond]

Hi LizzieL ... many thanks for getting back to me with your two suggestionss.

I have now 'phoned the BS cemetery office and the lady there has no record if the holder of the grave deed is still alive. However, she did suggest I follow his sister's line to see if there are any living descendants I could try and trace ... I can see this will be my week-end task🤣

Again many thanks ...
Sasha

Many thanks
Sasha