Memorial for Stillborn Babies

Old Eastwood Cemetery now has a fitting memorial to honour the 250 stillborn babies buried there.

It becomes the sixth memorial across four cemeteries in the city to have such a tribute for infants buried in common ground.

A small group of bereaved parents gathered in crisp autumn weather on Wednesday October 29 to lay flowers at the granite memorial stone at a poignant dedication service.

The memorial consists of a sapling tree in a chipped landscaped area where parents can grieve and find a place of comfort. The stone was donated by Co-op Funeral Care and bears the inscription ‘For all our babies briefly known but never forgotten.’

 

Paul Romano, the Council’s Chaplain conducted the simple service and a solitary piper played Flowers of the Forest.

Councillor Ruth Simpson, Executive Member for Land and Environmental Services said a few words and representatives from SANDS, Stillbirths and Neonatal Deaths Society, also attended.

Catherine Montgomery of Pollok lost her baby 51 years ago but it was only six years ago she learned her daughter was buried in Old Eastwood. Catherine had already placed a plaque in the cemetery and it has now been moved to the infants’ memorial area. She said: ‘You never forget, and with this memorial it is nice to think these babies will never be forgotten. I am so delighted this rememberance area has been created.’

Widower Kenneth Brierton of Muirend, who mourned his son Graham at the ceremony,said: ‘A fortnight before this service, I had had a memorial stone made. Now I hope to have it placed near the new memorial.’

Councillor James Dornan, leader of the SNP group of city councillors attended the service. He too, had personal experience of loss of a child.

He said: ‘The service was very touching and the memorial is a really important part of the grieving process.’

 Cath Curran of Shawlands helped instigate the creation of the memorial. Cath, who found out five years ago that her baby, John, was buried in Old Eastwood Cemetary, had already laid a memorial stone to the child under a nearby willow tree. She said: ‘When I placed my remembrance stone there, there was another cross marking another infant’s grave. I contacted Kenneth Boyle of Land and Environmental Services to see if we could have a memorial bench or something. What has been created has exceeded my expectations. It is lovely and very fitting.’ Cath now hopes that the other stones dedicated to lost infants and scattered around the area, can be added to the sacred memorial area.

The council’s other infant gardens are at St Kentigerns, Lambhill, the Necropolis and Linn Cemetery.