Mass grave in Oldham was one of tens of thousands across country
The discovery of a mass grave in Royton containing nearly 300 stillborn babies has revealed a widespread practice of communal burials for stillborn children across England, with over 89,000 such burials identified. Many parents were misinformed about the burial arrangements, and records are incomplete. Oldham Council is working on a memorial and support services for affected families.
Mass Grave Discovery Reveals 89,000 Stillborns Buried in Secret Across England
The discovery of 300 stillborn babies buried in a mass grave in Royton earlier this year has exposed a national scandal, with new data revealing more than 89,000 infants were laid to rest in communal burial sites across England without their parents’ knowledge.
Freedom of Information requests submitted to 314 councils uncovered the staggering figure, though only 45 authorities were able to provide complete records. Many burial records remain handwritten in ledgers, suggesting the true number could be significantly higher. The practice, which continued until the late 1980s, saw hospitals mislead grieving parents by claiming their babies would be buried “with a nice person” in adult graves.
Christine, whose sister Joyce died two days after birth and was buried in a communal grave at Greenacres Cemetery, expressed devastation at the scale of the deception. “I’m absolutely astonished that it was so widespread and that there are so many other families like ourselves that were misinformed,” she said. “It’s a horrible thing, to not give people the opportunity to bury their loved ones properly. The scale is shocking. It was almost like it was acceptable and it never should have been acceptable.”
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham described the revelations as “troubling” for parents who had already endured “traumatic experiences.” Speaking on LBC, he confirmed authorities are investigating the practice and working to provide families with answers and permanent memorial locations.
Oldham Council has announced a memorial for the babies buried in Royton and other borough cemeteries, along with a church service and candlelit vigil at St Paul’s Church on December 15. The council has established a support hotline at 0161 770 7777 (option 2) and waived fees for death certificates requested for those buried in unmarked communal graves, with refunds available for charges from the past year.
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