20 BCD SPECIAL REPORT ON HISTORIC CHURCHES 31st ANNUAL EDITION border which stopped disrespectful usage of that grave site of over 8,000 people. There is a memorial stone being prepared to give people looking for their relatives in unmarked graves somewhere to place a tribute. Further archaeology is required on all the areas of unmarked graves, but the charity is finding it difficult to raise further funding to carry out similar work on the other areas. UNDYING APPEAL FoGN’s work continues to attract international interest. Over 60 people in the last months alone have been in touch to search its records to find relatives who are in the Glasgow Necropolis, many in unmarked graves. Many others, mainly from the USA and Australia, repair their family memorials through contact with FoGN. Each memorial that is repaired by family members contributes to the restoration of the whole. The History of Glasgow is written by the occupants of the burial lairs here. There are many artists, writers, scientists, business people and inventors – not all from wealthy backgrounds – and a number are buried here by public subscription. Those individuals’ stories are as inspirational as the architecture, especially to the school students who enjoy the tours. There are just over 50,000 people in total buried in the Glasgow Necropolis; a lot more are commemorated on the stones, and everyone is included in the burial registers and recorded in the FoGN database. These include those in single, unmarked graves which were only used between 19 June 1833 and 5th October 1872. The number of people buried in these ten areas is 21,856, 40% of the total of burials in the Necropolis. Much research has been done on the people buried here and all the information collated by the researcher and archivist is available from the Friends of Glasgow Necropolis website, on the members’ profile pages and in Grave Matters, the FoGN newsletter, now on issue 29. FoGN has been very successful in some areas, but there are no exceptions to the public funding cuts and money and resources available for parks and open spaces is limited. The grass cutting regime is now six times a year which is not enough to keep the 37 acres maintained as it should be. The wildflower areas still need maintenance but could be seen as an option or excuse not to cut the grass. It might seem that the area has gone full circle as, except for the restoration of the built heritage, the landscape is back to its unkempt state. Permission has now been granted to FoGN for the removal of ivy from the headstones with the help of volunteers to allow the inscriptions to be read. The invasive species, although it has had some treatment, is still there. As it stands, Japanese Knotweed is in two small sections at the front of Compartment Tertius and there is a fair amount on a northern slope. Added to that is the additional material which has brought in Himalayan Balsam and Hogweed. Ash dieback is another issue – as it is throughout the city. Sadly, the reduction in available finance for maintenance and control of the green spaces is now as obvious at the site as it is in other green spaces and parks in the city and beyond. Other challenges are the lack of funding sources for conservation of especially historic buildings without a specific future use. VAT on repairs makes for additional difficulties in this current financial climate. In addition, funding for re-erecting headstones, archaeology, continuance of the PSCS and marking the unmarked graves is needed. FoGN has a firmly dedicated group of volunteers, tour guides, researchers and committee members and trustees who will not be deterred by all these challenges. After 20 years of application, fund-raising and awareness raising, it has made a tangible difference to the Necropolis and the charity is determined to continue. RUTH JOHNSTON is Chairperson of The Friends of Glasgow Necropolis (FoGN). For more information, visit www. glasgownecropolis.org The Monteath Mausoleum designed by architect David Cousins in 1842 which is now the subject of a major restoration project
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