Conisbrough Concerned By “Morbid Sightseers”

Conisbrough folk who walk through Church Street, where road improvements are necessitating the removal of human remains from the cemetery, are becoming concerned by the attentions of “morbid sightseers”.

Mr Edgar Eames, a Conisbrough businessman, of 9, Parkgate Avenue, Conisbrough, who passes a spot almost every day, suggested to a “South Yorkshire times” reporter that the work should be screened off from the public view,

Mr Norman Arrowsuch, a miner, of 16, Poplar Grove, Conisbrough, who also passes the spot daily, said bones and skulls are placed near the roadside, often attracting a crowd of “morbid sightseers.”

“I have seen several skulls and sets of teeth, clearly visible to the public,” he said. “People are coming from all over Conisbrough, Especially to see the digging.” Mr H. Jones, a miner, of 20. Fullerton Ave, Conisbrough, also suggested the work should be screened off with tar polling, or done at night time.

An old Conisbrough resident said the last time there had been improvements and human remains had been moved, the work had been screened off during the daytime.

“Very Difficult”

The councils engineer and surveyor, Mr G. Chadwick, said the position was a very difficult one. Because of the traffic situation. It would be difficult and probably dangerous to screen off the work. He said the work had been somewhat delayed because council workmen were needed on other jobs in the district and could not spend every day on this one improvement. The question of doing the work at night time was “out” because of the expense of employee men at overtime rates. He said he expected the work to be finished this month.

A council workman, working on the road improvement said that the men had been given instructions to put the bones and schools in a box as soon as they were found and they had tried their best to keep them from the public eye.

Several months ago, the council applied to the Bishop for a faculty to remove two named graves for the purpose of widening the road on the dangerous corner. The faculty was granted and the work started about four weeks ago. Since then, unnamed human remains have been found, apart from the two skeletons in the graves. A workman said six extra skulls had been found, with numerous of the bones.

The Clerk of the council, Mr R. F. Edwardson, said the terms of the faculty were being adhered to, the faculty states that any human remains disturbed should be decently and reverently reinterred in the churchyard in a place to be selected by the vicar and churchwardens, and the site and the fact recorded.

The vicar of Conisbrough (the rev. G. F. Braithwaite) said that the terms of the faculty were being carried out and he did not wish to express any opinion on the matter.

So far as is known there are no living relatives of the two persons in the named graves affected. Before the faculty was granted the intention was publicised to see if there were any living relatives.