In a heart-wrenching revelation, a woman named Sarah, who has spent over 50 years searching for her twin brothers, has uncovered their burial site in what has been described as a “landfill for babies.”
This tragic discovery took place in Oldham, where a mass grave was found containing the remains of 145 stillborn infants, 128 babies and young children, and 29 adults, all interred in an unmarked 12ft by 12ft plot at Royton Cemetery.
Sarah, who has chosen to remain anonymous for privacy reasons, expressed her shock and sorrow upon learning that her brothers, who died in 1962, were buried in such a location. “I live near the cemetery and used to walk through it with my mother all the time, completely unaware of their presence,” she shared with MailOnline. The emotional weight of this discovery is compounded by the fact that her mother, who is also buried in the same cemetery, never knew where her sons were laid to rest.
For decades, parents of stillborn children were often left in the dark about the fate of their babies. Many were told by doctors that their child was buried alongside a “nice person,” leaving them unaware that their little ones were often placed in mass graves. “My brothers were only a year older than me, and I witnessed the profound grief it caused my parents, who had no support,” Sarah reflected.
After years of searching through genealogy companies, council officials, and coroners, Sarah finally found help from Gina Jacob, who had similarly located her own son’s grave after 53 years. Together, they discovered records in a leather-bound book that detailed the burial site of Sarah’s siblings. “I was elated to have found my brothers, but the emotional impact was overwhelming, and I burst into tears,” she recounted.
The adults found in the grave are believed to be victims of “pauper’s burials,” for families unable to afford proper burial services. Joanna, another individual affected by this tragedy, revealed that her uncle, Joseph Morris, was also buried in the same plot. “My family has been upset for years, not knowing where he is. We finally have some answers,” she told the BBC.
Local councillors Maggie Hurley and Jade Hughes, who assisted Sarah in her search, emphasized the injustice faced by parents who were denied the fundamental right to bury their children. “This situation should stir our collective sense of fairness and empathy,” they stated. “We cannot change what has happened, but we can ensure that the babies born sleeping are named, recognized, and never forgotten.”
This poignant story sheds light on the historical neglect of bereaved parents and the need for compassion and recognition for those who have lost their children.
