Neutral Citation Number: [2022] ECC Lic [5]
IN THE CONSISTORY COURT OF THE DIOCESE OF LICHFIELD ST MARK’S, OCKER HILL, TIPTON ON THE PETITION OF CHRISTINE AND KEVIN PARSONS JUDGMENT
1) On 28th March 2022 Mr and Mrs Parsons applied for a faculty to authorise the reservation of a grave space for themselves for cremated remains at St Mark’s Church graveyard at Ocker Hill, Tipton. The application is unopposed and has the support of the parish priest and the Parochial Church Council. I do grant the faculty for the full period of 50 years. I give this brief judgment to explain why I have not followed the recent precedent of allowing 20 years (with a possible extension) for a double reservation for burial in the same graveyard.
2) The grave space is to be reserved for two people who are each now about 65 years old. I understand that, very sadly, Mrs Parsons is terminally ill with cancer. Our prayers are with her and her family. It follows that the double plot will be in use quite soon and very likely fully in use well within the 50-year period. This contrasts with reservations sought by healthy and significantly younger people. Not only may the reservation in the latter case only firstly be used long in future, but it is also far more likely to arise once the graveyard is otherwise full (there are currently 150 spaces and 7 funerals in an average year).
3) Another distinguishing feature is that it would be highly unlikely that the plot reserved by this faculty would be used for a second interment of anyone but a close member of the Parsons family in any event. It follows that a shorter duration of faculty would be unlikely to serve any useful purpose and it is unlikely to extend beyond the period during which the graveyard is likely to remain open or, at least, not by long.
Dr Anthony Verduyn
DEPUTY CHANCELLOR
29th June 2022