Statement from RPC

We are saddened to read “clarifications”  and misinformation continuing to be  publicised that suggests:

·That we might have interest in the military cemetery.

This is entirely separate from Calderstones Cemetery, we simply maintain access to it and wish, through our development,  to achieve similar high standards of maintenance in Calderstones Cemetery.

·That Angela Dunn was advised by the friends (described as a revelation) of the consecration of the cemetery in January 2018…

This is simply untrue. Since their involvement with Calderstones Cemetery, apparently since 2006, the Friends had not identified that the cemetery was consecrated. Angela Dunn first became involved with Calderstones in the latter part of 2017 and worked alongside the Friends. As a professional, she checked the availability of records and transferred these to electronic records. At the same time, she wrote to the Diocese  to check the status of consecration She was advised by the diocese on 11 January 2018  that the whole of the cemetery site had been consecrated. The Diocese confirmed this to her independently of the Friends, who were advised of the status on the same day.

·That statutory records have been poorly kept by the hospital.

It is a matter of law that anyone operating a burial ground is required to manage statutory records of any burials that take place. All the documented evidence shows that all statutory records were excellently maintained and we are therefore certain we know where all the burials carried out by the hospital are located.

·Three witnesses put forward by the Friends have referred to there being one Garden of Remembrance in the cemetery, this is known to be on the south side of the cemetery.

It has, however,  been claimed by one of the four witnesses put forward by the Friends that there is a Garden of Remembrance on the north side of the cemetery, yet no burial records have been provided to support this. It is inconceivable that the hospital would have kept perfect statutory records for all their burials from 1921 onwards, including those cremated remains buried in the Garden of Remembrance, but then would not have kept any records of an alleged Garden of Remembrance on the north side of the main path. Records have been backed up with a ground penetrating radar survey and monitored excavations. Families and friends of those buried in the cemetery please be assured, NO BURIALS WILL BE DISTURBED.

·We are aware that for some reason, the Friends feel we should have prepared the information for the Archdeacon with their help  

The Friends have clearly stated that they want to stop the construction of a crematorium which will provide the income to  ensure that those buried in the cemetery are suitably remembered forever. To suggest they could have helped appears particularly naive, especially when we have documented evidence that it is the Friends who have refused to co-operate with RPC through their appointed cemetery experts for many years.

·There are claims  that the statutory records are not correct and that there are burials in the area where we have applied for the legal effects of consecration to be removed.

The statutory records have been well maintained and document everybody from Calderstones Hospital who is buried in the cemetery. Entries in the register were supported by the ground radar survey. If, as claimed, the statutory records are incorrect , then why has there been no documentary evidence whatsoever provided to support this claim? We ask again now, if anybody has evidence of burials then please provide the location and names of the deceased  and we will investigate it.

·That a ‘nine points document’ was never responded to, yet it was discussed and the relevant points answered at a meeting with the Assistant Archdeacon and the Friends. The fact is that the Friends have stated that they only wish to communicate with the owner of RPC  despite being repeatedly advised that the consultants who have been engaged can deal with any issues. Offers of meetings with the consultants have been consistently  ignored or declined. .

·That we seek ecclesiastical permission to proceed with construction. Clearly, it is not a matter of ecclesiastical permission.

We would just like to highlight:

 o   To ensure no faith was discriminated against; the law in 1916 (and now)  indicated that a portion of the burial area should be left unconsecrated. This was not done and should be put right now.

o   The areas without burial cannot continue to serve the purpose of the original consecration…’the burial of lunatics dying in the Whalley County Lunatic Asylum and of the officers and servants belonging thereto’.

o   RPC is suggesting one discrete portion to have the legal effects of consecration removed. The rest will remain consecrated.

It is not unreasonable to suggest that other faiths, or those of no faith, should still not be discriminated against in the present day and that there can be no purpose for this not to be rectified…whatever the end use of the cemetery.

· That the cemetery should be returned to public ownership.
Notably, the Council has not made any request to purchase the cemetery, nor has any other public body, so we fail to see how this might work, even if RPC wished to sell the cemetery. A  public authority is unlikely to want to purchase  the cemetery and would first need to find the funds to do so and then maintain it to a satisfactory standard.

·That companies should have made themselves aware that the cemetery was consecrated,  before purchase.
We agree, but without a thorough understanding of cemetery and cremation law, it is easily missed. Once a cemetery expert was engaged the consecration status of the cemetery was quickly identified.

·That as current owners RPC should take money from completely separate businesses to fund the maintenance of Calderstones Cemetery.
Unfortunately, this is not possible and until there is the prospect of a sustainable independent business at Calderstones Cemetery, we are unable to fund high standards of maintenance, much as we would like to do so. We do however, carry out some basic maintenance and have carried out extensive work on trees to ensure the safety of visitors.

·That we have consistently ignored or questioned evidence.
It is entirely untrue to suggest we have ignored any  ‘evidence’  However, we have understandably questioned it, as all evidence should be robust and able to withstand scrutiny.  Where such evidence cannot withstand scrutiny, we have identified this.

·That face-to-face meetings have been refused for the past 5 years.
The owners appointed Ron Dunn and Angela Dunn to act for them on all matters and we would be happy to publish email streams with the Friends demonstrating that Ron consistently offered to meet and discuss matters, unfortunately on every occasion, this was ignored or declined. This has been a matter of great sadness over this entire period.

·That Section 5 of the Cremation Act 1902 clearly indicates that, “no crematorium shall be constructed nearer to any dwelling house than 200 yards (not years), except with the consent, in writing of the owner, lessee and occupier of such house”.
This is true, however, this has been varied both in London and in Scotland already. With regard to Calderstones Cemetery, in every case the houses within 200 yards of the potential crematorium building were moved into by the owners after planning permission for the crematorium was granted and in the majority of  cases after work had already started on parts of the grounds (boundary, gates and woodland). We could provide documented evidence to dispute many other elements of the  ‘clarifications’ and misinformation that is circulating, but the simple fact of the matter is that we just want to assure all families that there are no burials within the portion of the cemetery to be deconsecrated and no disturbance to existing burials will take place. Rest assured that we will take all the necessary precautions to ensure burials, in other parts of the cemetery, are not disturbed.

· That RPC have removed, bulldozed or sold memorials that were in Calderstones Cemetery.
This is completely untrue, memorials were removed over a decade before RPC were even aware of the existence of Calderstones Cemetery, let alone involved in it.

In 1916 the law stated that part of the cemetery should be left unconsecrated, as has rightfully happened in hundreds of cemeteries throughout England. It did not happen at Calderstones Cemetery and now we believe there is no real purpose for such a portion of the cemetery to continue to be consecrated, hence we have asked for the legal effects of consecration to be removed. We understand, however, that the Bishop of Blackburn will make the final decision on this matter.

We are committed to providing a communal memorial for all those buried in the cemetery, individual memorials for the Booth Hall babies, an electronic book of remembrance and interpretation boards to tell the story of the cemetery. We will provide the highest standards of maintenance and ensure that those buried in the cemetery will be forever remembered.

We apologise for such a lengthy statement but for a long time many have been stating untruths about individuals and RPC. We have been forced into a position where we have no option but to respond and in some cases we are now seeking legal advice and will take action to ensure such untruths are withdrawn.