Reference
X842
Title
Records of Campton and Shefford Burial Board (later Burial Committee). COLLECTION PERMANENTLY WITHDRAWN FROM THE ARCHIVES SERVICE - contact Campton and Shefford Burial Board for access.
Date free text
1854-1979
Production date
From: 1854 To: 1979
Admin/biog history
History of the Campton and Shefford Burial Board (later Committee)
Campton and Shefford Burial Board was formed in July 1854 (see X842/1/3) under the Burial Acts of 1852-3 (15 & 16 Vic c85 and 17 Vic c134) and in May 1855 land near the church owned by William Curling was purchased at £700 (X842/11/3) for the burial ground.
The work of the Board continued normally for several years, but lapsed after 1870. The neglect continued until 1885/6 when a series of vestry meetings were held at Shefford to consider the question (P70/8/2) and Arthur Wade-Gery, a local solicitor acting as Clerk to the Board, unsuccessfully approached both the Local Government Board and the Home Office (X842/9/1) for advice.
In March 1887 Counsel's opinion (X842/9/1) was given that members of the old Board were not automatically members of any newly constituted committee and that it was unlikely that unpaid burial fees could be collected.
On 14th April 1887 the new Board was elected (see vestry minutes P70/8/2) but it was not until 1890 that separate minutes began once more (see X842/1/4). Meanwhile, the shortage of gravespaces was gradually becoming more acute and by May 1890 only 80 spaces remained in the consecrated portion of the burial ground (P70/8/2).
Despite this, it was not until January 1896, when the new Campton and Shefford Parish Councils combined to form a joint Burial Committee, that moves began to build a new chapel and cemetery. Over the next few years much of the energy of the Committee was directed towards arranging loans for the new site at Pinfold Holes on the Ampthill to Shefford Road (X842/9/3). The chapel and cemetery were finally opened on 1st November 1903(X842/9/4). James Shilcock of Hitchin was the architect, while Charles Wright of Langford was builder and contractor (X842/9/3-4). The cemetery was extended in 1949-1951, the work being carried out by Fred C Levitt, the Biggleswade architect (X842/12/3-4).
Note on registers: The registers are only extant from the opening of the Pinfold Holes cemetery in 1903 (see microfiche 127). However, the burial fees receipt books, 1887-1907, partially cover the gap for the earlier period.
Archival history
These records were formerly held at refs PC Campton 12/1-57 (Acc 3518 received in 1972) and X465/185-298(Acc 3643; 1973). In 1995 the material was reappraised and re-accessioned; some of it is recatalogued in the Bedford office (X842) while the remainder was returned to the Clerk of the Committee.
In March 2022 the joint burial board permanently withdrew the collection from the archives service.
Loan status
WDRAWNpermanently withdrawn
Level of description
fonds