2016

Our latest Newsletter is now available to download from our Downloads page. Please take a look at what’s been happening and what’s coming up.

In the item about David Bowie’s family connection to Doncaster, posted on 11 January, we made a typographical error. We wrongly named David’s father as Howard Stenton Jones, instead of Haywood Stenton Jones. It was one of those cases of the fingers not doing what the brain was telling them. We have now corrected the error and apologise for any confusion caused.

Further to our News item posted on 11 January, here are pictures of the grave of David Bowie’s paternal grandmother’s grave. Her name was Zillah Hannah Jones.

 

Doncaster Council have recently carried out resurfacing of many of the footpaths in Hyde Park Cemetery, for which we and the cemetery’s many other users are very grateful. Some of the other paths were not only in very poor condition, but were also very little used. In consultation with ourselves and to reduce future maintenance costs, Doncaster Council decided to remove some of those little-used paths and to soil and seed them instead, so that they will become lawned areas. In the large majority of cases, the Friends agree with and approve of the decision. However, there is one section of perimeter footpath (about 50 metres long) which has been removed, against our recommendation. It lies in the south-western corner of the cemetery, between Sections Ux/Vx and X. The gap created by removing this portion of path leaves a gap in the perimeter footpath, which we believe is very detrimental to users. We are making representation to Doncaster Council on this matter.

The current arrangement of footpaths is shown on this revised cemetery plan.

Below is a picture of the former path between Sections Ix and Ox, now soiled and seeded.

The stone and brick wall at the western end of the cemetery is in need of repair, mainly as a result of damage caused by the roots of the Black Poplar trees that were removed in 2014. Doncaster Council is intending to rebuild  parts of the wall and repair the rest, where necessary, later in 2016. In parallel with that scheme, the Friends of Hyde Park Cemetery are intending to install some new sections of railings. The original railings were removed from the New Street wall longer ago than anyone can remember. Funding for these railings will come from generous private donations.

We are in discussion with the local Conservation Officer about a suitable design, due to the railings needing Listed Building Consent. As part of that process, we recently made a timber mock-up of part of the proposed railings, to view on site. You will see a picture below. We shall keep you informed of developments.