Final call for families to arrange repairs to dangerous memorials

Orkney Islands Council is issuing a final call for people with relatives buried in the county’s cemeteries to check whether memorials important to them have been identified as dangerous and in need of repair.

During memorial safety inspections carried out at Orkney’s cemeteries last year by the Council, 21,435 memorials were inspected with 56 identified as being dangerous and requiring remedial work.

The identified memorials were marked with notices directing families to make contact with the Council to discuss options for repairing.

Community Councils were also provided with any details of dangerous memorials identified in their respective parishes with a view to helping find relatives that might wish to repair memorials – a process complicated by the fact that the memorials on average were erected over 100 years ago.

As of January, one memorial has already been repaired and a further 13 repairs are in the process of being arranged.

The Council has a statutory obligation to ensure dangerous memorials are addressed. A programme of making the identified memorials safe is planned to start in April 2023.

The method of making safe will vary from case to case but could involve carefully laying flat with the inscription facing up if no other practical option is feasible.

Community Councils will be provided with 4 weeks’ notice prior to any work taking place. To allow for the best chance of repairs being arranged by families, the deadline for approaching contractors to repair the stones will now be 31 March.

A full list of the identified memorials can be found by following the link on the Council website on the Burial Services page under the Memorial Inspection Programme heading - https://www.orkney.gov.uk/Service-Directory/B/burial-services.htm

Anyone needing to discuss a memorial should contact the Council’s burials team in the first instance, then arrange the repair with the contractor. This is to ensure the burials team are aware of stones being repaired so they can be inspected when the work is done and records updated.

Lorna Richardson is Head of Neighbourhood Services at Orkney Islands Council: “We know the importance of memorials and headstones to people throughout Orkney which is why we have this process in place involving the community councils to help ensure that wherever possible families are informed before remedial work is carried out to make memorials safe.

“We’d urge everyone, especially those with a long line of ancestors buried here and indeed anyone with good local knowledge, to take a moment to look at the memorials currently identified as dangerous, and to get in touch if they think they can help direct us to family members.”

Currently, the Council’s approved memorial masons who’ve indicated they have capacity for repairs are Casey Construction Ltd and Andrew Sinclair Ltd.

Anyone needing to discuss a memorial should contact Sam Harris, OIC’s Burial Grounds Officer in the first instance on 01856 873535 ext 2703 or by email.