Hinckley Cemetery is 150 years oldHinckley Cemetery was opened in 1858 and the first interment was of a three-month-old baby, Maria Bedford, who was the daughter of a framework knitter.
An indication of the infant mortality rate at the time can be gauged by the fact that six out of the first eight burials were of children. However, only one was buried in a marked grave in consecrated ground, suggesting the others may have been paupers. Up until 1858 the only public burial ground for Hinckley was St Mary's churchyard. But it had become very congested. As with all ancient churchyards, for hundreds of years the same plot of ground was continually re-used for burials. But with the increasing popularity of gravestones in the 18th century the churchyard soon ran out of space, even though it had been extended in 1835. A few burials continued in the churchyard until the 1880s. The cemetery and its two chapels cost £2,500 to provide and originally occupied a site of 3.5 acres. This was extended to 5 acres in 1896 and 14.5 acres in the 1940s. In 1920 the stone reredos was removed from St Mary's Church and re-erected behind the altar in the cemetery chapel. The large brass cross in the chapel also came from St Mary's at this time. Over the past 150 years, around 30,000 townspeople have been interred or their ashes have been scattered in the cemetery - a number equivalent to the population of modern-day Hinckley. Among those buried in the cemetery is the well-known Victorian novelist Charlotte Brame. Looking to the future Work is scheduled to take place this summer on a further extension to the cemetery as there is only enough burial land for about five more years. When the new extension is opened it should provide enough space for another 25 years. To ensure the extension meets the needs of the whole community, an extensive consultation took place recently. As a result, the extension will include not only a garden of rest but also a wooded area with a pool and glades where ‘woodland burials' can take place. In addition, parking facilities will be provided and work on roadways, pathways and drainage will also be carried out. Councillor Wendy Moore, Executive member responsible for Parks and Open Spaces, said: "The new cemetery extension is urgently required and plans include areas which will provide a natural environment with tree planting and landscaping. The completion of the new area coincides with the 150th anniversary of the opening of Ashby Road Cemetery and provides an appropriate commemorative green space." With thanks to HBBC | 
