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Remove grave flowers, widower told
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| Leonard Walker |
A widower who has lovingly tended his wife's grave since she died 16 months ago, was shocked to be told that he had remove all the flowers he had planted for her.
Leonard Walker was heartbroken to be told to remove all his spring blooms because of a council regulation.
Witney Town Council, which ordered them removed by last Monday, blamed health and safety rules, and said having plain grass would enable easier maintenance of its Windrush Cemetery at Oxford Hill, Witney.
But Mr Walker, 66, of Newland, Witney, who has now removed the plants, said the council had destroyed all the loving care he had put into looking after the site since his wife Margaret died last year, aged 60.
He said: "She died last year, and I have been coming here every day to remember her and tend the grave. This makes me really sad and angry."
"I'd put bulbs in and some angels with lights. But they told me it all had to come out, just to put it to grass.
"I only live a few hundred yards away and it's not as if the grave wasn't well looked after. I can't understand why they wanted to destroy all I've done."
The town council owns and is responsible for the upkeep of the cemetery, as well as the town's older Tower Hill Cemetery.
Janine Howells, the council's amenities manager, said: "Mr Walker was told about the rules.
"We have been very compassionate with him. You can't change the regulations for one individual. They are general now to most graveyards up and down the country."
3:19pm Tuesday 20th May 2008
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CommentPosted by: C on 5:35pm Tue 20 May 08
[quote]Janine Howells, the council's amenities manager, said: "Mr Walker was told about the rules.
"We have been very compassionate with him. You can't change the regulations for one individual. They are general now to most graveyards up and down the country."[/quote]
Compassion that comes very much second place to that arbitrary and unshakeable construct beloved of all bureaucrats, "The Rules", is a form of compassion I am unfamiliar with. And long may it remain that way.
Janine Howells, the council's amenities manager, said: "Mr Walker was told about the rules.
"We have been very compassionate with him. You can't change the regulations for one individual. They are general now to most graveyards up and down the country."
Compassion that comes very much second place to that arbitrary and unshakeable construct beloved of all bureaucrats, "The Rules", is a form of compassion I am unfamiliar with. And long may it remain that way.
Posted by: Phil Gale, Oxford on 6:14pm Tue 20 May 08
"Rules is Rules" Has it really come to this? Has the last drop of humanity really been squeezed out?
Health and Safety rules? Are there statistics for how many people nationally have been injured by flowers in cemeteries?
"Rules is Rules" Has it really come to this? Has the last drop of humanity really been squeezed out?
Health and Safety rules? Are there statistics for how many people nationally have been injured by flowers in cemeteries?
Posted by: Mr Ison, England on 6:31pm Tue 20 May 08
60 million people inhabit these isles and all will die,what is it that we as sixty million want?
Clearly we dont want some here today and dead tomorrow fool instructing us about flowers on our graves.
60 million people inhabit these isles and all will die,what is it that we as sixty million want?
Clearly we dont want some here today and dead tomorrow fool instructing us about flowers on our graves.
Posted by: Questioner, Abingdon on 7:39pm Tue 20 May 08
What sort of petty dictators do these councils employ, pure jobsworthery! For goodness sakes let this poor Gent grieve in peace. This health and safety nonsense has gone too far and is making these unworthy jobsworths look very foolish indeed, a laughing stock to be sure.
What sort of petty dictators do these councils employ, pure jobsworthery! For goodness sakes let this poor Gent grieve in peace. This health and safety nonsense has gone too far and is making these unworthy jobsworths look very foolish indeed, a laughing stock to be sure.
Posted by: Questioner, Abingdon on 7:45pm Tue 20 May 08
Come to think of it didn't I see the lady's picture in the paper the other day? She had a tiny moustasche and wore jackboots, also I remember the Mustard coloured tunic, very chique.
Come to think of it didn't I see the lady's picture in the paper the other day? She had a tiny moustasche and wore jackboots, also I remember the Mustard coloured tunic, very chique.
Posted by: Dave, oxford on 10:28pm Tue 20 May 08
Tell me, what is the difference between having flowers around a grave of a loved one, and ALL the flowers of which there must be hundreds around the war memorial in St Giles, if it is a Health and Safety issue.
Tell me, what is the difference between having flowers around a grave of a loved one, and ALL the flowers of which there must be hundreds around the war memorial in St Giles, if it is a Health and Safety issue.
Posted by: Kevin Stevens, Oxford on 7:46am Wed 21 May 08
Those flowers are vicious you know. I once got a nasty bite from a snap dragon ! The solution is to concrete over everything.
Health and safety - what a load of rubbish. I have tried to see a H and S implication in a few well tended flowers but have so far failed. Perhaps WODC might come back and explain the danger to their workmen of flowers.
Compassionate? I can't see that one either.
Those flowers are vicious you know. I once got a nasty bite from a snap dragon ! The solution is to concrete over everything.
Health and safety - what a load of rubbish. I have tried to see a H and S implication in a few well tended flowers but have so far failed. Perhaps WODC might come back and explain the danger to their workmen of flowers.
Compassionate? I can't see that one either.
Posted by: VB, Oxford on 10:13am Thu 22 May 08
Hmm I wonder if Janine Howells has lost the love of her life after many happy years together? I wonder if she acutely feels that kind of loss every single day? I doubt it if she thinks she is being 'compassionate'. Also how very, very dull to have 'just grass' everywhere, flowers certainly lift the spirits when visiting and remembering loved ones lost.
Hmm I wonder if Janine Howells has lost the love of her life after many happy years together? I wonder if she acutely feels that kind of loss every single day? I doubt it if she thinks she is being 'compassionate'. Also how very, very dull to have 'just grass' everywhere, flowers certainly lift the spirits when visiting and remembering loved ones lost.
Posted by: D C Wilkes, Cornwall on 1:57pm Thu 22 May 08
My Great Great Grandfather, Alderman William Henry Butler lies buried at Carfax Oxford and his grave is being used as a support for cast iron table and chairs by a local cafe. OCC who granted the lease tell me that in respect of the grave the lease is silent. This is disgraceful. Oxford, this country's foremost seat of learning and without a written rule grave desecration becomes acceptable. Here is a case of no rules.
My Great Great Grandfather, Alderman William Henry Butler lies buried at Carfax Oxford and his grave is being used as a support for cast iron table and chairs by a local cafe. OCC who granted the lease tell me that in respect of the grave the lease is silent. This is disgraceful. Oxford, this country's foremost seat of learning and without a written rule grave desecration becomes acceptable. Here is a case of no rules.
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