Three formal and informal notices at Sunday 7 March.
Covid cases have increased locally and the Church Council’s Standing Committee and those it has consulted hasn’t been able to come to a common mind about re-restarting public worship, but it hopes to think again and to announce re-start a date soon, possibly Palm Sunday.
We are just submitting a formal application for permission to put bird netting across the west window of St Michael’s (something the Church Council agreed a year ago) and a Public Notice will go up outside the church for twenty-eight days beginning tomorrow.
We have just issued a Press Release (see below) about sensitive support being offered to those exploring the possibility of placing a memorial on a shared babies’ grave in Haworth Cemetery.
A little known but special section of Haworth Cemetery may soon be better marked.
Rev Peter Mullins, Rector of Haworth, is helping those who wish to mark the passing of the young children and babies of the parish of Haworth from times past.
About fifty children were buried in a shared grave in Haworth Cemetery between 1958 and 1971. This may have been a financial choice or one of compassion as many families were glad of the opportunity not to have their baby buried alone. The grave is by the wall at the top of the cemetery and is currently unmarked.
Caroline Henry of Oakworth says ‘My brother Steven is one of those buried there. He died in 1964. I know the lifelong sadness and pain my parents felt, keeping their terrible loss to themselves and feeling unable to share their grief. We would love there to be a simple memorial which shows that the children and their parents are not forgotten’.
Bradford MDC who are responsible for the Cemetery are supportive of a memorial commemorating the children and any memorial would not include individual names or religious references.
‘The first thing,’ Rev Peter Mullins says ‘is to make sure that the other families of those buried there have an opportunity to be express their opinion or be involved. Nobody wants to do something which would exclude them or even upset them.’
‘I suppose there might also be others who would like to offer practical or financial help – creating and installing an appropriate memorial is likely to cost in the region of £4000’.
