Memorial planned for 148 people buried in paupers graves at Blackrod Cemetery

Town councillors agreed to the idea after it was revealed that 100 children and 48 adults were buried in common public graves at the cemetery in Manchester Road since it opened in 1887.

Paupers' graves refer to graves which were paid for at public expense, because the person's family could not afford one themselves.

It follows a similar project at Ridgmont Cemetery in Horwich.

The first person was buried at Blackrod Cemetery in 1888, with the last in 1960.

Blackrod town councillor Ann Cunliffe researched the history of the unmarked graves, and found there were 16 public graves at the cemetery, one with 18 non-related burials — people buried together not in the same family.

Some families were kept together, with a 22-month-old boy being buried with his six-month-old sister, and a mother being buried with her two sons, aged two and 24.

Cllr Cunliffe said researching the history of the cemetery was a moving and emotional experience.

She said: "All who are buried in Blackrod’s public graves are now named and will be remembered and respected.

"These individuals will not be forgotten just because they died in times of poverty.”

She added: "Many Blackrod residents could not afford to purchase family graves for their exclusive right and had no choice but to bury their loved ones in unmarked public graves.

"Many of these public burials were in the late 1800s into the turn of the century, when poverty and consumption would have unfortunately played a major factor in these deaths, especially in villages such as Blackrod where many poor families lived.

"Public graves would hold many non-related burials but religion remained important as they were buried in consecrated ground with the Church of England and Catholics buried in separate graves."

Town councillors at Blackrod Town Council agreed that it would fund a memorial to remember everyone buried in these graves, and details of the finalised project will be confirmed at a later date.