Mass grave of babies is found in British cemetery just yards from unmarked where 300 bodies were uncovered

A mass grave of babies has been uncovered in a British cemetery just a matter of yards away from where 300 bodies were discovered earlier this year.

The second unmarked grave was identified at Royton cemetery in the Greater Manchester area next to the graveyard’s chapel.

Oldham Council have confirmed its identification, whilst it remains unclear how many bodies the plot contains.

The discovery was made during a candlelit vigil that was held last Sunday, December 15, in memory of the children discovered in the first unmarked grave.

The uncovering of that first mass grave occurred in September, with 145 babies, 128 children and 29 adults remains found.

Records show that the first grave, named 1A-360, not only contains stillborn babies but also babies and children who died days, weeks, months and years after birth. Adults as old as 74 are also buried in the grave.

Local Councillor Maggie Hurley was approached by a vigil attendee on Sunday evening who informed her of the location of the second plot after she had traced the remains of a family member.

Speaking to LDRS, Councillor Hurley stated: ‘We’ve just found another one. This is a social injustice on a scale I never could have imagined’. 

Earlier this year, 300 bodies were uncovered in the same Manchester cemetery

An Oldham Council spokesperson noted that the communal site, known historically as the ‘pauper’s graves’ and more recently as the ‘local authority burials’, was known to the Council.

The Council is also providing support to affected families with a dedicated hotline established for people to ring. 

Both mass graves are set to see the erection of memorial benches and plaques to commemorate those who are buried there, Royton Council have said. 

Following the discovery of the first plot, which was just 12ft by 12ft, local councillors stated their belief that it may not be the only one at Royton Cemetery.

It was common practice before the 1980s for stillborn babies to be taken away from parents without any further detail of where they were buried.

Bereaved parents were instead told by medical staff that their child was buried alongside a ‘nice person’ that same day. However, babies were often instead interred in mass graves.

Over the past 20 years, the mass graves of babies have been found across the UK.

Various mass graves for stillborn babies have been found in recent times in places such as the Wirral, Huddersfield, Lancashire, Devon and Middlesbrough.