Loxley Chapel and burial ground

[cookingfat50]

my grandmother, and her son tommy, and her grand daughter are all buried there. there used to be a burial plot with my grand mother nelly, her son Thomas, and his daughter Barbara all called Bates. but the graves have all gone now and small memorial gardens have replace them with plaques. I had head from a reliable source that lots of the coffins through lad slippage had made ther way towards the river how true this is I don't know aoo iknow is that that gran couldn't swim lol RIP

[LoxleyS6]

Hi Cookingfat50,

 

I think that you might be thinking of Wisewood Cemetery which is on the opposite side of Loxley Road, as the River Loxley runs along the bottom of that particular cemetery.

 

Fortunately Wisewood Cemetery is also very well maintained, so if your family are buried/memorialized there then I don't think you would have any problem finding the plot/plaques.

 

But thanks for sharing your 'local family history' nevertheless.

[susie1]

LoxleyS6, thank you for taking the trouble to post all the above information. I have relatives buried in Loxley and when I last went up to try to find the grave, I gave up in despair, because it was impossible to find any way through the wilderness.

I will write to Hague Plant; let's hope they do the decent thing and reinstate the path(s).

[LoxleyS6]

Hi Susie1,

 

Thank you for your message, and I am very happy to hear that you have found the information useful.

 

If you find yourself trying to locate a particular plot again in the future, and the plot is in the 'Top Field', then I would also recommend that you use 'Google Maps, Earth View' to get your bearings from a 'birds eye view', using the little 'Foot Traffic' trails and the plots that are currently been maintained as reference points.

 

If you, and any other people are able to write to Hague Plant Limited then it would be very welcome news, as Hague's may be persuaded into reinstate the paths if it is more cost effective for them to do so rather than spending their time dealing with complains about its condition.

 

I hope that you are able to locate your family plot in the near future and any updates on how you get on would be great fully received.

 

Thanks again for your reply, LoxleyS6

[LoxleyS6]

Hi All,

 

Upon visiting the Loxley Cemetery today I noticed that the sign referenced in my earlier post (detailed below), has been removed.

 

"A sign has recently been made and donated to Loxley Chapel & Cemetery by the surviving relatives of one family with relatives resting in Loxley Cemetery. The sign has been fitted to the gate on Long Lane for the purpose of acknowledging the existence of the Chapel & Cemetery and bringing them to the attention of the passing public. It is also intended to provide people with the contact details of whom owns the cemetery, and whom manages the purchasing of plots and any subsequent burials".

 

I presume this will have been done by and/or on behalf of either Mr David William Hague, Mr William Hague or Ms Dianne Hague, as the only reason i can think that the sign would be removed is to prevent people from knowing who is responsible for the condition of Loxley Cemetery & Chapel and how to contact them, however I can not prove this as they continue to operate in their usual cowardly ways, which I suspect they will continue to do until the day they die, and if there's any justice in the world they too will be buried somewhere that is allowed to overgrow and then their relatives will struggle to visit them too.

 

Therefor I retract my earlier comments (detailed below) and urge everyone to phone and write to anyone and everyone they feel may be able to help, and to do so whenever they feel the need to and as often as they can.

 

"However, I would urge you to please refrain from ‘ranting and raving’ at Hague’s Plant Limited, as we are looking to ‘mend bridges’ and implement change, not to ‘rub them up the wrong way & burn bridges down’ as this will not get us anywhere".

 

Our sympathies go to the person(s) who donated the sign, as this is yet another insult to you and your loved ones resting in Loxley Cemetery, however please know that our family does appreciate your efforts and that such actions by the owners will only strengthen our resolve further as I will not stand idly by and watch our family struggle to access and maintain our burial plot.

 

Thank you in advance to all who are able to help put additional pressure on the owners and urge them to make change, and know that you are not and will never be alone in you efforts.

[LoxleyS6]

Loxley Cemeteries War Graves

(Details From The Commonwealth War Graves Commission)

 

 

Name: Belk, Doreen Frances – Rank: Leading Aircraftwoman – Service Number: 2137772

DOD: 23rd June 1945 - Age: 20 – Regiment: Women’s Auxiliary Air Force

Grave Ref: N.E.Sec. Line F. Grave 36 (Commission Headstone).

 

Name: Booth, Edwin – Rank: Coder – Service Number: C/JX 550931

DOD: 5th January 1946 - Age: 21 – Regiment: Royal Navy

Grave Ref: N.E.Sec. Line A. Grave 124 (Private Memorial).

 

Name: Bradwell, Gladys Wendy – Rank: Aircraftwoman 2nd Class – Service Number: 884128

DOD: 2nd December 1939 - Age: Unknown – Regiment: Women’s Auxiliary Air Force

Grave Ref: North Sec. Line E. Grave 22 (Private Memorial).

 

Name: Crownshaw, E – Rank: Private – Service Number: 67900

DOD: 4th December 1918 - Age: 28 – Regiment: Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry

Grave Ref: B.53 (Private Memorial).

 

Name: Hallam, Frank Foster – Rank: Sergeant – Service Number: 564213

DOD: 7th January 1940 - Age: 26 – Regiment: Royal Air Force

Grave Ref: N.E Sec. 2. Line C. Grave 76 (Private Memorial).

 

Name: Hayward, Thomas – Rank: Sergeant – Service Number: 522167

DOD: 21st December 1941 - Age: 27 – Regiment: Royal Air Force

Grave Ref: N.E Sec. Line E. Grave 100 (Private Memorial).

 

Name: Hoult, J – Rank: Private – Service Number: 12549

DOD: 18th December 1916 - Age: Unknown – Regiment: York And Lancaster Regiment

Grave Ref: C.49 (Commission Headstone).

 

Name: Jacques, William, Joseph – Rank: Able Seaman – Service Number: C/J 95774

DOD: 14th August 1941 - Age: 37 – Regiment: Royal Navy

Grave Ref: N.E.Sec. Line E. Grave 78 (Commission Headstone).

 

Name: Redfearn, Horace – Rank: Aircraftman 1st Class – Service Number: 870149

DOD: 1st November 1947 - Age: 58 – Regiment: Royal Air Force (Auxiliary Air Force)

Grave Ref: N.E Sec 2. Line L. Grave 36 (Commission Headstone).

 

Name: Spencer, Roy – Rank: Driver – Service Number: T/10694209

DOD: 26th September 1942 - Age: 19 – Regiment: Royal Army Service Corps

Grave Ref: N.E Sec. Line J. Grave 110 (Private Memorial).

 

Name: Whitaker, Arthur – Rank: Aircraftman 1st Class – Service Number: 1088893

DOD: 22nd July 1942 - Age: Unknown – Regiment: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

Grave Ref: N.E Sec. Line J. Grave 113 (Commission Headstone).

 

Name: Wild, C E – Rank: Private – Service Number: TR5/171823

DOD: 21st July 1918 - Age: 18 – Regiment: Durham Light Infantry

Grave Ref: D. 60. (Private Memorial).

 

Name: Wilson, Thomas Walter – Rank: Corporal – Service Number: T/221750

DOD: 18th December 1945 - Age: 34 – Royal Army Service Corps

Grave Ref: N.E. Sec.2. Line M, Grave 1. (Private Memorial).

 

 

Lest We Forget

 

 

 

In terms of maintenance, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission is not responsible for the condition of the cemetery as a whole, it is indirectly maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission via a third party and the minimum standard of acceptable maintenance is that each war grave should be kept tidy and, if laid to grass, be cut reasonably short through the growing season.

 

In the UK, all war graves are inspected on an approximate 3-4 year cycle by Regional Supervisors who check for accessibility, legibility and damage.

 

Loxley Cemetery was last inspected on 11th December 2013.

 

As the above standard of maintenance for the war graves is been kept to please refrain from contacting the Commonwealth War Graves Commission regarding the condition of the access paths, these queries should be addressed to the owners of the access paths and unpurchased plots:

 

Mr David Hague / Mr William Hague / Mrs Dianne Hague

Hague Farming Limited / Hague Plant Limited

Jubilee House,

Claywheels Lane,

Sheffield,

S6 1LZ

[chrissyy]

My grandparents died in 1974 and 1976 and we believe that they are buried in Loxley cemetery. We thought we would be able to find the grave easily as it is not such a long time ago that they died.

We were absolutely disgusted when we tried to find the grave. The cemetery was all overgrown and it was impossible to find my grandparent's grave.

After reading other posts, we realize that we are not the only ones that have reached this conclusion.

My parent's have both passed away now and I owe it to them to pay my respects to their parent's.

We will join other people in helping to clear the grounds or any other way of solving this problem.

 

Chrissyy

[LoxleyS6]

Hi Chrissyy,

 

Thank you for your post and for your additional support.

 

I'm sorry to hear that you were unable to locate your grandparents resting place as I know how distressing and frustrating visiting Loxley Cemetery can be.

 

The burial records for the cemetery can be viewed at Sheffield Archives opposite the train station in town, however the records that you are able to view are limited to the lower cemetery because the upper cemetery is still accepting new burials.

 

That been said however, the upper cemetery burials can be viewed by appointment at the funeral home that manages the burials on behalf of the owners, details of which can be found earlier in this post.

 

Sadly due to the condition of both the upper and lower cemetery the best time to locate a plot is in the winter when the weed growth has died down a bit, particularly after it's snowed because the weight of the snow squashes the weeds and reveals the headstones.

 

I'm lead to believe that the Sheffield Hallam PM Nick Clegg is currently in contact with the owners of Loxley Chapel & Cemetery so hopefully he is able to encourage positive changes to be made moving forward.

 

I hope this helps you to locate your grandparents plot and if I can be of any further assistance I will endeavour to help if I can.

 

Thanks again, LoxleyS6

 

---------- Post added 21-07-2015 at 21:05 ----------

 

The Sheffield Conservation Volunteers have expressed in the past, and more recently, that they are open to the idea of undertaking the clearance work required in Loxley Cemetery, and upon request will provide a quotation to cover their expenses should their services be required.

 

The SCV have undertaken similar projects in the past and are fully insured to do so. They are prepared to undertake the clearance work for any person(s) agreeable to cover their expenses providing that the owners of the paths and/or plot owners do not have any objections to them doing so, otherwise their insurance would be void.

 

Due to the fact that the cemetery is still accepting burials (the cemetery owners own the paths and surviving relatives own the plots), this can only be achieved by writing to the owners of the cemetery via a recorded delivery letter (for proof of delivery), include multiple options for contacting the appointed point of contact, including a stamp addressed envelope for the owners to use should they wish to respond (so no costs are incurred by the cemetery owners), then put posters up around the cemetery for an adequate amount of time notifying people that it is intended to undertake the work and include the contact details for whom to contact should anyone object to the work been done (similar to a planning application or road works notice, often seen on lampposts).

 

This option has been suggested to the owners previously but to date they have chosen not to comment either way.

 

Should anyone wish to explore this option further the 'Project Assessment & Estimator' for The Sheffield Conservation Volunteers is a Mr Dave Sinclair who is contactable on 01142640134 or davebadgerman@yahoo.com

 

If anyone is able to find and/or organise for this to be done please don't hesitate to private message me and I will endeavour to assist wherever possible.

 

Thank you, LoxleyS6

[chrissyy]

LoxleyS6

 

Thank you for your reply to my post.

 

I will contact Sheffield Archives as you have suggested.

 

chrissyy

[LoxleyS6]

Should anyone require the details for Sheffield Archives they are as follows:

 

Sheffield Archives

52 Shoreham Street

Sheffield

S1 4SP

 

Opening Hours

Monday: 9.30am to 5.30pm

Tuesday: 9.30am to 5.30pm

Wednesday: closed

Thursday: closed

Friday: closed

Saturday: 9.30am to 5.30pm

 

 

Email: archives@sheffield.gov.uk

Telephone: 0114 2039395

 

Sheffield Archives is able to supply copies of documents and images (subject to copyright restrictions) in a variety of formats and sizes.

 

You are able to make photocopies and prints from microforms when you visit for a small fee per sheet of paper.

 

It is also possible for you to use your own digital camera (for non microform items) free of charge providing that you ask a member of staff for advice and guidance and that you complete a simple copyright declaration at the time you make the copy.

 

To use church registers, General Register Office indexes to births, marriage and deaths or census returns it is best if you call them in advance, as many of these items are only available on microform and these can only be viewed using a simple to use machine that you need to book in advance, however this is only a formality as the machines are rarely all in use.

 

Lastly, In order to use Sheffield Archives facilities you will need a Library Card, which can be issued on the day providing that you take a photographic form of ID with you, along with two pieces of documentation to confirm your address.

 

---------- Post added 22-07-2015 at 21:01 ----------

 

The Sheffield Star Online recently published the following article on Loxley Chapel & Cemetery:

 

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/local/video-utter-neglect-of-abandoned-sheffield-chapel-1-7183321