Catalogue description Campton and Shefford Burial Board (later Burial Committee) records.

This record is held by Bedfordshire Archives

Details of X 842
Reference: X 842
Title: Campton and Shefford Burial Board (later Burial Committee) records.
Description:

Note on registers: The registers are only extant from the opening of the Pinfold Holes cemetery in 1903(see X 842/2-3 and microfiche 127). However, the burial fees receipt books, 1887-1907, partially cover the gap for the earlier period.

Date: 1854-1979
Arrangement:

Summary of Classes

 

X 842/1 Minutes 1854-1979

 

X 842/2 Registers of graves 1903-1924 (for later registers and index see microfiche 127)

 

X 842/3 Registers of burials 1903-1942 (for later registers and index see microfiche 127)

 

X 842/4 Grant of right[to grave spaces]registers 1906-1943

 

X 842/5 Burial fees receipts books 1887-1907

 

X 842/6 Account books. Receipts and expenditure 1896-1971

 

X 842/7 Financial statements 1902-1976

 

X 842/8 Receipted bills 1903-1914

 

X 842/9 Correspondence and papers, including some bills c1871-1963

 

X 842/10 Gravestone memoranda 1924-1977

 

X 842/11 Deeds and legal papers 1854-1905

 

X 842/12 Burial ground plans and papers 1902-1951

 

X 842/13 Tables of fees and regulations 1905-1973

 

X 842/14 Tables of fees etc for other local burial grounds: Stotfold and Potton 1903-1949

 

X 842/15 Miscellaneous. Including building contract for Stotfold School, 1876 1876-1951

Held by: Bedfordshire Archives, not available at The National Archives
Language: English
Creator:

Campton and Shefford Burial Committee

Physical description: 15 series
Immediate source of acquisition:

Acc 7639

 

Contact: Mr K Bland, Clerk to the Committee

Custodial history:

These records were formerly held at refs PC Campton 12/1-57(Acc 3518 received in 1972) and X 465/185-298(Acc 3643; 1973). In 1995 the material was reappraised and re-accessioned; some of it is recatalogued here (X 842) while the remainder was returned to the Clerk of the Committee.

Subjects:
  • Campton, Bedfordshire
  • Shefford, Bedfordshire
Administrative / biographical background:

History of the Campton and Shefford Burial Board (later Committee)

 

Campton and Shefford Burial Board was formed in July 1854(see X 842/1/3) under the Burial Acts of 1852-3(158 16 Vic C85 and 17 Vic C134) and in May 1855 land near the church owned by William Curling was purchased at £700(X 842/11/3) for the burial ground.

 

The work of the Board continued normally for several years, but lapsed after 1870. The neglect continued until 1885/6 when a series of vestry meetings were held at Shefford to consider the question (P 70/8/2) and Arthur Wade-Gery, a local solicitor acting as Clerk to the Board, unsuccessfully approached both the Local Government Board and the Home Office (X 842/9/1) for advice.

 

In March 1887 Counsel's opinion (X 842/9/1) was given that members of the old Board were not automatically members of any newly constituted committee and that it was unlikely that unpaid burial fees could be collected.

 

On 14th April 1887 the new Board was elected (see vestry minutes P 70/8/2) but it was not until 1890 that separate minutes began once more (see X 842/1/4). Meanwhile, the shortage of gravespaces was gradually becoming more acute and by May 1890 only 80 spaces remained in the consecrated portion of the burial ground (P 70/8/2).

 

Despite this, it was not until January 1896, when the new Campton and Shefford Parish Councils combined to form a joint Burial Committee, that moves began to build a new chapel and cemetery. Over the next few years much of the energy of the Committee was directed towards arranging loans for the new site at Pinfold Holes on the Ampthill to Shefford Road (X 842/9/3). The chapel and cemetery were finally opened on 1st November 1903(X 842/9/4). James Shilcock of Hitchin was the architect, while Charles Wright of Langford was builder and contractor (X 842/9/3-4). The cemetery was extended in 1949-1951, the work being carried out by Fred C Levitt, the Biggleswade architect (X 842/12/3-4).

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