HEADSTONES at a cemetery in Barry are being inspected for safety purposes.

Barry Town Council, in accordance with health and safety legislation, is carrying out an inspection of the memorial headstones within its cemeteries, including Merthyr Dyfan Cemetery.

Any headstones found to be unsafe and likely to cause serious injury may be laid flat or “lowered down” into the excavated area at the head of the grave in front of the memorial base (this will enable some or all of the inscription to remain visible).

Alternatively the memorial may be “staked and banded” by the Council Memorial Inspector. The stakes and bands are attached to the memorials to ensure that the danger of the memorial in question falling and cause damage or harm to staff and visitors to the cemetery is reduced.

As this is part of a programme introduced by government legislation it is an offence for the bands to be removed by any one other than the Memorial Inspector or a Memorial Mason engaged to carry out repairs to the said memorial on behalf of the family.

A memorial is the responsibility of the grave owner. Any memorials erected since November 2001 should not be affected as long as they were installed to the NAMM & BRAMM standards. The programme has been devised to ensure that the memorials that pose the greatest risk are dealt with first.

OTHER NEWS:

Anyone with concerns or questions on how to make their memorial safe can call the Cemetery Office during normal working hours on 01446 738663, or e-mail info@barrytowncouncil.gov.uk or write to: Barry Town Council, Town Hall, Kings Square, Barry, CF63 4RW.

Below is a list of memorials that have been inspected in the most recent round of inspections in Merthyr Dyfan Cemetery. If you are relative, or know someone related to those interred in any of the following graves, get in touch using the above contact details.

  • J59A Griffiths
  • JJ69 Armstrong
  • T162 Sayers-Gillan & Bannister
  • T208 Walker
  • T201a Griffiths
  • T234 Valander
  • T277 Moyst
  • T439 Coleman
  • T395 Brown
  • T388 Day
  • T377 Cecilia
  • T354 Hicks
  • T325 Williams
  • T293 White
  • T519 Patton
  • T520 Branton
  • T59 Thomas
  • T65 Baker
  • Z275 Dare
  • FF92 Stevens
  • Q167a Rowley
  • K751 Thomas
  • DD81 Ralphs
  • X41 Piper
  • RC140 McKeane
  • RC125 Grigoriou
  • Y282 Heppenstall
  • DD141 Thomas
  • DD252 Hope
  • DD269 French
  • X148b Williams
  • H104 Davies
  • H897 Light
  • H977 Lorantos
  • H1144 Edwards
  • H1172 Evans
  • H1440 Millionas
  • H1474 Roberts
  • H1593 Williams
  • H1725 Spourgites
  • H1763 Dimond
  • H Blodwen
  • P20 Bray
  • P93 Evans
  • P95 Jenkins
  • P151 Wyndham
  • P422 Morris
  • P864 Hare
  • R94 Gilbert
  • R673 Bassett
  • R689 Rees
  • S801 Wood ham
  • S154 Shaw
  • O280 McParlin
  • O229 Donovan
  • N468 Cox
  • N488 Jones
  • O71 Driscoll
  • N911 Bendall
  • H390 Jenkins
  • H165 Evans
  • H881 David
  • H8 Richards
  • H483 Jones
  • F288 Davies
  • F246 Evans

The Cemetery Office would also like to speak to the owner of AA173 Perry.