Sheffield Independent – Friday 08 February 1884

Doncaster and Neighbourhood.
Proposed Extension of the Conisbro’ Burial Ground.

Last evening, in the National Schoolroom, Conisbro’, a special meeting of the Burial Board was held, under the presidency of the Rev. G. Wood, the vicar. It was reported that the School Board had agreed, subject to the consent of the Education Department, to sell the land, with the old house now adjoining the churchyard, for the sum of £150, along with the piece of land adjoining the said house. The cost of the conveyance of this would be about £50. The rateable value of the parish was £15,131. A rate at 4d. in the £ was all the Burial Board need ask for, and the fixing of this would be the easiest and cheapest way for the ratepayers to act so as to provide sufficient area for interments for some years to come.

Mr. Caleb Kilner proposed, and Mr. Joseph Appleyard seconded, the levying of a rate at 4d. in the £, as suggested by the report. Mr. Searle said he had looked a good deal into this matter, and considered the recommendation of the Burial Board the best and wisest one under the circumstances. The question of somewhat extending the churchyard was bound to be dealt with, otherwise the Sanitary Authority at Doncaster would attend to the thing, which would mean an expenditure for the ratepayers at about 1s. 6d. in the £ for thirty-two years, by the providing of a cemetery. The resolution they proposed to pass, however, would “tide them over” for ten or twelve years. (Hear, hear.) It should also be remembered that the greater portion of the £150 expended in the purchase of the land and building from the School Board would pass again into the pockets of the ratepayers; he did not think, in the long run, that more than a penny in the £ would be taken from the ratepayers. (Hear, hear.)

Mr. Crawshaw said the Sanitary Authority at Doncaster had no immediate intention of providing a cemetery at Conisbro’, but they did consider the churchyard to be in a very disgraceful state. The piece of land proposed to be added to the churchyard would soon be filled up.

Mr. Searle again stated that he did not consider the churchyard deserved to be spoken of by the Sanitary Authority in such a way, and observed that, in country churchyards, like that of Conisbro’—which was similar to the ground in Derbyshire—the bones of the bodies were better preserved.

The resolution was put to the meeting and carried unanimously, and the proceedings then closed, having only lasted a few minutes.