‘The state of these graves would break John’s heart’
Monday 28th June 2010, 1:00PM BST.
Maureen Gorman discusses the state of Le Foulon with reporter Jess Stevenson. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 0986416)
A FORMER landscape gardener buried at Le Foulon would be heartbroken to see the overgrown and collapsed graves near the crematorium, his widow has said.
Maureen Gorman went to visit her husband’s grave and was shocked to see what surrounded it.
John, who retired when he was 70 and died two years later, three years ago, is buried with his mother and grandmother in a plot at the bottom of the hill near the crematorium.
Treasury and Resources is in charge of the island-wide cemetery, which is paid for by the taxpayer.
Head of estate management John Silvester said that the department had been working with La Societe Guernesiaise in an environmental study.
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It is a field full of dead people – what is the problem? Apart from the fact that it is a complete waste of space!
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I visited my grandmothers grave a few weeks ago with my mother in tow. I could not believe how many young people with children were there tending to their loved ones graves. The graves were amazing and free from weeds and most of them had real and dried flowers on. I know ironic isn’t. People where I come from respect graveyards and it seems to be a family affair going there together with their cleaning stuff and pan/brush etc and shears. This was in the Uk so not far from Guernsey. Maybe more education is needed.
By the way shame on Waggy for his article or was it tongue in cheek!
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Has the totally ignorant person styled ‘waggy’ heard of and understands the word: Respect?
It seems doubtful.
Obviously not a true Guernsey person.
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BLC/Dellquay.
Why not vent your spleen at the “respectful” people who have let their ancestors graves get neglected and overgrown.
I’m with Waggy on this one.
Oh, and I am a “True Guern” but I can’t afford land, as so much of it is full of dead bodies.
Its going to get fuller.
May I suggest you may not in fact be “True Guernsey people”.
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The graves mentioned are mainly at least 100 years old hence their close proximity to the crematorium which no doubt was originally a chapel. The original graveyard would have been tiny compared to nowadays. It is highly probable that those at rest there either have living relatives, many generations younger who may not even be aware that they are there, or may have no descendants to tend their graves at all. If taxpayers are paying for this cemetetry is there not a caretaker? Just a thought…
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