Blackley cemetery
Encyclopedia
Blackley Cemetery is a large, municipal cemetery
situated within the northern suburbs of the city of Manchester
, and is owned, operated and maintained by Manchester City Council
. The cemetery and crematorium complex is located on Victoria Avenue in the district of Blackley.
The cemetery contains Blackley Crematorium, the only crematorium facility operated by Manchester City Council
(the other crematorium in the city, the Manchester Crematorium, being an independent company). The crematorium features 3 chapels - one large, central chapel, with twinned smaller chapels to the eastern and western sides of the building. The crematory area of the crematorium is equipped with 3 'Newton'-model cremators, installed by the Furnace Construction Co. Ltd. of Hyde, Cheshire.
Blackley Crematorium was the venue for the funeral of the late Bernard Manning
, a famous Manchester-born comedian. He had previously visited the centre chapel of the crematorium building to pre-record a video piece to be played at his funeral service.
The cemetery was at one time, well known for having problems with drainage
, with surface water being problematic during burials and visitation to grave sites. The city has worked to rectify this situation in recent years, with the installation of ground drainage schemes being completed in 2009. The ground drainage scheme has opened up new areas for the opening of new graves, in parts of the cemetery that were originally thought to be unusable.
A currently unused area of the cemetery is to be developed into a Natural Burial area. This project is currently in the planning and problem-solving stage, and it is as yet unknown when the new burial area will be opened for use.
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
situated within the northern suburbs of the city of Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, and is owned, operated and maintained by Manchester City Council
Manchester City Council
Manchester City Council is the local government authority for Manchester, a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. It is composed of 96 councillors, three for each of the 32 electoral wards of Manchester. Currently the council is controlled by the Labour Party and is led by...
. The cemetery and crematorium complex is located on Victoria Avenue in the district of Blackley.
The cemetery contains Blackley Crematorium, the only crematorium facility operated by Manchester City Council
Manchester City Council
Manchester City Council is the local government authority for Manchester, a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. It is composed of 96 councillors, three for each of the 32 electoral wards of Manchester. Currently the council is controlled by the Labour Party and is led by...
(the other crematorium in the city, the Manchester Crematorium, being an independent company). The crematorium features 3 chapels - one large, central chapel, with twinned smaller chapels to the eastern and western sides of the building. The crematory area of the crematorium is equipped with 3 'Newton'-model cremators, installed by the Furnace Construction Co. Ltd. of Hyde, Cheshire.
Blackley Crematorium was the venue for the funeral of the late Bernard Manning
Bernard Manning
Bernard John Manning was an English comedian and nightclub owner. He was born and raised in Manchester in northwest England....
, a famous Manchester-born comedian. He had previously visited the centre chapel of the crematorium building to pre-record a video piece to be played at his funeral service.
The cemetery was at one time, well known for having problems with drainage
Drainage
Drainage is the natural or artificial removal of surface and sub-surface water from an area. Many agricultural soils need drainage to improve production or to manage water supplies.-Early history:...
, with surface water being problematic during burials and visitation to grave sites. The city has worked to rectify this situation in recent years, with the installation of ground drainage schemes being completed in 2009. The ground drainage scheme has opened up new areas for the opening of new graves, in parts of the cemetery that were originally thought to be unusable.
A currently unused area of the cemetery is to be developed into a Natural Burial area. This project is currently in the planning and problem-solving stage, and it is as yet unknown when the new burial area will be opened for use.