The state of Merseyside Cemeteries

[Famous Scouser]

I have been busy looking through various Liverpool Cemeteries recently doing a bit of research. I was alarmed to see that all is not good within these grounds.

First of all, I rang the central number to try and trace a grave and was told that there is a ?10 fee!

At each of the cemeteries, there are boarded up lodges and nobody in sight if you want to find out any information as to where a section of particular grave might be. If you are lucky, you may find a worker dotted around but not always the case.

Finally, there are many many gravestones that have toppled over and have been left. I enquired about this and was told that it is a matter for families to sort this out and presumably pay for repairs etc. Now my own thoughts are that

1. A plot is expensive and surely the cost of one takes into account maintenance

2. If there are no relatives, does the stone lie where its fallen forever?

3. If it is down to the cost of labour, would it not be a good project for the "Community Payback" programme for offenders to repair?

Just wondered what your thoughts were.