UTLEY CEMETERY

[judith]

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY INFORMATION AS TO WHO/WHAT COMMITTEES/ WHO WAS ON THESE COMMITTESS - WHO Was INVOLVED IN THE FOUNDING AND DEVELOPMENT OF UTLEY CEMETERY?
Who did the land belong to? Who's decision was it to start the cemetery there.... are there any records relating to the founding of the cemetery?
thanks
Judith XX

[Andy Wade]

Hi Judith,

If you contact Christine Dowthwaite I'm sure she will be able to help you as she is probably the most knowledgeable person you could meet about the subject - she actually works in the Registrar's Office which is the building at the entrance to Utley Cemetery.
She's a lovely lady and very helpful indeed.

Email - [e-mail]
Christine Dowthwaite
Area Admin Assistant - Bereavement Services
The Registrar's Office
Utley Cemetery
Skipton Road
Keighley
BD20 6EJ

Kind regards,
Andy.

[judith]

Thanks very much Andy - have emailed Christine.

[parkwoodgirl]

I have a certificate dated 2nd October 1866 issued by the Keighley Burial Board to my gt., grandmother Martha Lynch for a burial plot in section'A' of unconsecrated ground at Utley cemetery for the sum of £1. 10s. signed by John Robinson and John Clapham with the Keighley seal in wax. I think the unconsecrated ground was for the Catholic community. I also have two other certificates of sale for 1932 which are in consecrated ground.

[malcolm]

Try this link for the historical information re development of public cemeteries

www.beckettstreetcemetery.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=21&Itemid=2

The unconsecrated area was to allow denominations other than Church of England to bury members of their faith. The Roman Catholic Church in Keighley was opened around the mid 1840's with a burial ground, and the church was quickly altered to accomodate the growing catholic community and the burial ground does not contain many graves (if any) but when Utley opened in 1857 the Catholic Church had are area allocated to them specifically. If you tell me the grave number I will be able to identify who is in the grave.
I think it may be 163 or 333

Malcolm

[parkwoodgirl]

My apologies if you have received half a message. I will start again. My 1st certificate is to Martha Lynch 2nd October 1866 Register No. 645 Unconsecrated Portion. No,2, is Martha Elizabeth Spencer 27th June 1905 New Cemetery Reg. 474. No.3. - Richard Walter Newman - 6th October 1932. Utley Cemetery Reg No. 3793, Thank you

[kellytica]

The Catholic graveyard in at St Annes Keighley was used for burials prior to Utley cemetery opening as above. I suspect the graveyard would be first used a short time after the church opened in October 1840. The ground used for burials was alongside the church; I believe it remained untouched when the church was extended in 1907. There are no grave markers - it is unlikely there ever were any as the cost of providing permanent memorials would be well beyond the means of the parishioners.
One of the burials there was a priest (Rev James Coppinger) who died of typhus fever contracted while working among Irish Famine refugees in Leeds during 1847. He was sent to Keighley in the hope that the better air would aid recovery, unfortunately he died and was buried in the attached graveyard.
It was the wish of Rev Fr. Herbert Duke (who died in 1886 while serving as Parish Priest) to be buried in the former grave yard alongside the church. Unfortunately this was not possible.
There are very few monuments or grave markers in 'A' section of Utley cemetery but one of the larger ones not only commemorates those buried there but also names many others of the same family who were buried in the graveyard at the Catholic chapel

[malcolm]

Hi Parkwood Girl

I must be missing something with your certificates as the register number for purchasing the plots will be different to the register number for burials. Looks like contact with Christine will be necessary, after all.
It is interesting to hear about Father James Coppinger being buried alongside the church. It is the first one I have had confirmation of. Anymore information
M

[kellytica]

Malcolm
Can you email me re St Annes please

Eddie