New School Uncovers Grim Riddle of the Dead

[MaryA]

From another of the Liverpool Echo entries around 1980ish, I feel sure there was more investigation into this, perhaps some of our members know more?
New School Uncovers Grim Riddle of the Dead
Three hundred delighted youngsters began a new term at their brand new school this week – unaware of the grim secret seven years ago when work first began. For the first diggings revealed a mystery which had lain undiscovered for possibly hundreds of years.
Now the landscaped site of the two-storey £450,000 St. Oswald’s Primary School building stands as a modern day monument to the mystery of over 3,500 graves.
The coffins – in an area of 40 square yards – were in places piled up 16 high beneath the ground.
Building work was held up for a total of 18 months while the remains were carefully exhumed, cremated and eventually reburied at Liverpool’s Anfield Cemetery.
One of the men involved in the little-known operation said today: “We had to stick to certain regulations, like notifying the Home Office and erecting 10 feet high fencing. But although it wasn’t exactly kept quiet, we didn’t invite publicity at the time for obvious reasons.”
He added: “A few had nameplates on, but I don’t think we can ever really get to the historical roots of this burial ground.
“If it had been in some different area of Liverpool we could have assumed it was a cholera pit or something – but we just don’t know. There were no records – we’ve already tried that course of action.”
It’s only now, as today’s youngsters start life in a new school that the full story of the 3,561 un-named dead has come to light.

[MaryA]

A further item
http://oldswanliverpool.blogspot.co.uk/ ... raves.html

[Blue70]

I remember this story being talked about online. There were some strange theories put about concerning these burials but it turns out it was just a forgotten part of the church's graveyard. One of my ancestors who was buried there might have been in one of these re-discovered graves.


Blue

[lynne99]

Late finding this. How do we know if the relative that was buried at St Oswalds in 1863 was one of these or not??

[BarbaraW]

Very interesting article

[MaryA]

Late finding this. How do we know if the relative that was buried at St Oswalds in 1863 was one of these or not??

story of the 3,561 un-named dead has come to light.

I can't imagine any way after all this time of knowing if your relative was one of them.

[lynne99]

Thanks Mary