gleeson strategic land considering clearing the cemetary @ netherne

[Anthillmob74]

story in last weeks local croydon guardian regards the cemetary @ netherne

Developer's broken promise over Coulsdon asylum cemetery
By Kirsty Whalley »
Relatives of a woman buried in an overgrown cemetery claim developers promised it would be cleared up.

Overgrown: Netherne asylum cemetery
The Croydon Guardian reported earlier this month how the desolate Netherne Asylum cemetery in Coulsdon had been left to be overtaken by five feet tall nettles and plants.

Horrified Wendy Mortimer, who visited the site in 2006 when she discovered her great-aunt was buried there, wrote to MJ Gleesons asking it to take care of the graves.

The developer, which purchased the cemetery when it turned the hospital site into luxury flats promised her “landscape” work would be carried out but it remains overgrown.

Wendy Mortimer’s great-aunt Francis Mabel Mortimer died at 20, and was buried on July 10, 1915.

The young woman suffered from epilepsy, which was not well understood in those days, and was brain damaged when she fell off a wall and hit her head, aged 12. She was sent to the asylum where she was classified “an idiot”.

Her great-niece, said: “I was a bit upset when I heard about that. "After a lot of research, we discovered where she was buried. "When we got to the cemetery it was in the same mess it is now. I was shocked and dismayed.”

The 53-year-old wrote to Gleesons and the reply on October 2006 from operations director Andy Kirkpatrick reads: “I shall personally visit the area during my next visit to the development and will arrange for any necessary remedial works to be carried out.”

She said: “If Gleesons can build a new village with modern houses, surely it can afford to clear the cemetery and make it viewable.”

Scott Chamberlin, managing director of Gleeson Strategic Land, said: “Until the article published in the Guardian on September 15, 2010, Gleeson has had very few enquiries from relatives over the 15 years or so the cemetery has been in our ownership, and so the company continued to allow the cemetery to return to nature.

“However, since that article was published, we are aware that there clearly is interest and consequently the company is currently considering whether it should adopt a different approach.”

 

[godzilla73]

I wonder if the cemetery itself is in Croydon, Banstead & Reigate or Tandridge? Croydon have an absolutely terrible record on looking after its older cemeteries, so lets hope they don't get involved!

 

[RichardH]

story in last weeks local croydon guardian regards the cemetary @ netherne

“Until the article published in the Guardian on September 15, 2010, Gleeson has had very few enquiries from relatives over the 15 years or so the cemetery has been in our ownership, and so the company continued to allow the cemetery to return to nature.

“However, since that article was published, we are aware that there clearly is interest and consequently the company is currently considering whether it should adopt a different approach.”

I think I overdosed on grumpy pills with my branflakes this morning. Or the mashed banana. When I saw this, the subtext in my brain was:

"We thought nobody would notice if we didn't spend any profits on it, and left it as a wilderness."

"Now we've been caught out, we're thinking about the cheapest PR solution we can get away with."

I can't help but wonder if their strategic plan might have involved letting it turn into an eyesore for 15 years, by which time everyone would have forgotten or cared that it was a cemetery, and then bulldoze it, exhume the remains, and build more houses.

Nah, they wouldn't have thought anything like that...

 

[Foxylady]

Yup, just what I thought too, Richard. I'm not sure how much of it's the grumpy pills talking, though.

 

[godzilla73]

Nope - don't think its the grumpy pills. Might be the realistic pills though!

 

[Anthillmob74]

quite a sad story in this weeks croydon guardian about netherne cemetary

 

[RichardH]

quite a sad story in this weeks croydon guardian about netherne cemetary

From the article:

MJ Gleeson have received a number of complaints about the state of the cemetery and have promised to look at the site .

I can see it now. Two Very Important Persons from MJ Gleeson:
"Yes, yes, that is a site. I can see it," quoth the first.
"A bit overgrown isn't it?" queried the second.
"Yes. Terrible, terrible. What shall we do?" There is a moment of silence.
Suddenly the second has an idea. "I know!" he ejaculated. "Let's build some houses on it!"
"Jolly good idea!" agreed the first. Then they went home for tea with buttered crumpets and lashings of ginger beer. As they skipped and danced on their way, they kicked a dog and shoved an old lady into a duckpond.

My cynicism circuits are overheating at the moment. I'd dearly love to be proven wrong about this. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to apologise to MJ Gleeson for impugning their honour (well, nothing printable, anyway). Can't see it happening, though.

 

[godzilla73]

My cynicism circuits are overheating at the moment. I'd dearly love to be proven wrong about this. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to apologise to MJ Gleeson for impugning their honour (well, nothing printable, anyway). Can't see it happening, though.

Hmmm - yes, don't think they'll be suing you for libel anytime soon!

 

[moggie57]

netherne cemetery...

Netherne cemetery .has been cleared by netherne management "michele gallagher " on may 30th 2013. Myself wendy mortimer and my brother brian met with michele on june 5th 2013 to view the cleared cemetery . We also laid flowers on 2 graves one lot for my late great aunt and another for a friend in australia who has a relative also lies there . The cemetery is quite barren now instead of 6 ft high brambles/wild animal burrows . I am in contact with michele on what to do next . I will be suggesting that it be grassed over and planted with wild flower seeds ,and maybe a bench to sit on for reflection purposes . I have contacted the croydon guardian and will also contact the war graves commission. As there are forgotten soldiers buried there.for over 5 years i have campaigned to get the cemetery cleared along with adrian falkes.victory is mine lol....

 

[moggie57]

Netherne cemetery .has been cleared by netherne management "michele gallagher " on may 30th 2013. Myself wendy mortimer and my brother brian met with michele on june 5th 2013 to view the cleared cemetery . We also laid flowers on 2 graves one lot for my late great aunt and another for a friend in australia who has a relative also lies there . The cemetery is quite barren now instead of 6 ft high brambles/wild animal burrows . I am in contact with michele on what to do next . I will be suggesting that it be grassed over and planted with wild flower seeds ,and maybe a bench to sit on for reflection purposes . I have contacted the croydon guardian and will also contact the war graves commission. As there are forgotten soldiers buried there.for over 5 years i have campaigned to get the cemetery cleared along with adrian falkes.victory is mine lol....

WOULD ALSO LIKE SOME VOLUNTEERS TO HELP KEEP THE CEMETERY UNDER CONTROL OF WEEDS ETC....... PLEASE CONTACT ME [email protected]

 

[moggie57]

gleeson s done bugger all .netherne management deserves a medal.... all.....

 

[stevejd]

The same thing is happening at Rauceby (kesteven county), David Wilson homes are desecrating the old buildings (not viable to convert they say) and ignoring the cemetary. It's still owned by the NHS who want rid of it, local parishes don't want to be involved, so it's come down to a small grant from NHS to local council to organise three grass cuts a year

 

[The Archivist]

Sadly neglect seems to be the norm for mental hospital burial grounds - let's hope Netherne can set an example. Having known the place for well over 10 years, may I say well done to those involved in putting in the effort to clear up a bit. Would be interesting to hear more updates as the project progresses.