Bereavement Services

Great Yarmouth Borough Council's Bereavement Services staff seeks to provide a caring and sensitive service for people at a difficult time. Bereavement Services Manager Linda Bigg and her team are able to give helpful advise and guidance relating to all aspects of funerals and memorialisation

History of the Crematorium

Great Yarmouth Crematorium was officially opened in August 1968 and carries out approximately 1,900 cremations annually. It has one chapel which seats 120 persons. We allow 25 minutes for the actual service and services are timed at 40 minute intervals to allow for the movement of mourners. However, if this is not long enough it is possible to book an additional service time for a nominal fee. Services can be recorded and there is an extensive music library of popular music and hymns sung by a choir and recorded in a cathedral provided by Wesley Music who specialise in music for Crematoriums. The chapel is provided with a loop system and has disabled access in all areas.

Family Research

Bereavement Services receive many requests from people researching their family history. The registers for Great Yarmouth Borough Council Cemeteries are held at the Bereavement Services office. Bereavement Services staff will happily conduct searches on your behalf and it is advisable to leave a list of details with them so they can give you all the relevant information. There is a small fee for this service. You may also find more information on our Genealogy page

Cemetery Opening Times

All cemeteries managed by Bereavement Services are open during British Summer Time from 7.30 am to 7pm. During the winter months they are open from 7.30am to 4.30pm. For Chiristmas Opening times please click here

Normal Office Opening Times Monday to Friday 8.30 am to 4.15pm

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Office Opening Times

The office will be open until 15:45 on Christmas and New Year’s Eve and from 08:00 to 16:15 on 29th, 30th and 31st December.

Great Yarmouth Crematorium

The Crematorium is located within the grounds of Magdalen Cemetery, Oriel Avenue, Gorleston.

Service times are: 08:40, 09:00, 09:20, 10:00, 10:40, 11:20, 12:00, 12:40, 13:20, 14:00, 14:40, 15:20 and 16:00 (Monday to Friday only)

Other Cemeteries

Magdalen Lawn Cemetery, Oriel Avenue, Gorleston
Gorleston Old Cemetery, Magdalen Way, Gorleston
Yarmouth Old, Kitchener Road, Great Yarmouth
Yarmouth New, Kitchener Road, Great Yarmouth
Caister Borough, Ormesby Road, Caister-on-Sea

British Summer Time: Gates open at 07:30 and locked at 19:00
Winter Time: Gates open at 07:30 and locked at 16:30

Keys to the Dissenters Cemetery and Jewish Cemetery are available from St Nicholas Priory School, St Nicholas Road, Great Yarmouth, NR30 1NL, Tel: 01493 843552

To perpetuate the memory of a loved one Bereavement Services provides a Rose Garden of Remembrance, Book of Remembrance, Memorial seats and trees. Further details and application forms available from Bereavement Services Office.

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Burial Services

A full service may be held in the Magdalen Cemetery Chapel followed by the burial, or alternatively a service could be held in a church or other venue and the coffin brought to a cemetery for burial only. The Crematorium Chapel is non-denominational and is available to all religions, sects and beliefs. Bereavement Services staff will prepare the grave for the burial and a Bereavement Officer will ensure that the service takes place safely and smoothly. Following the burial, when the mourners have left, the grave will be back-filled and reinstated with turf. The grave will be topped up and re-turfed or seeded if necessary. The grave will be maintained as part of the general maintenance of the cemetery.

Graves

Burials take place in graves, which are laid out in regular pattern within the cemeteries. A grave may either be un-purchased, which means that the rights to it remain with the Council, or purchased, which means that the right to bury in the grave and to place a memorial on it are transferred to the owner. The ownership of the land does not transfer – the Council owns all the land within the cemeteries. At the end of the period the lease may be renewed, otherwise the rights transfer back to the Council. A grave may be purchased in advance of need, or it may be purchased subsequent to the burial. The grave owner receives a Deed to the grave, which is a legal document and should be kept in a safe place. Bereavement Services should be contacted for advice on the procedures required if it is wished to transfer the Deed to a new owner.

To purchase a grave or arrange a burial of cremated remains, this can be done directly with our office or through a funeral director.

Funeral Expenses

Find out more about Cemetery fees and Cremation fees.

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Exhuming a Deceased Body

To exhume a body the family must either get the permission of the Norwich Diocesan Registry if the grave is consecrated or if the grave is unconsecrated a permit must be obtained from the Home Office. There are fees payable to both, plus our exhumation charges.

Transfer of Exclusive Right of Burial

In all instances where the Exclusive Right of Burial is purchased there is a requirement for the right to be transferred to a new owner should the original owner pass away. The Exclusive Right of Burial is presently a 50 year lease and primarily gives the owner the right to state who will be interred in the grave and what memorial will go on the grave. The actual land remains under the ownership of Great Yarmouth Borough Council who will carry out maintenance on the land. In all instances where the right is purchased the registered grave owner will receive a Deed to the grave. This is a legal document and should be kept in a safe place. Bereavement Services must be contacted for advice if it is wished to transfer the Deed to a new owner or there is a change of address.

Annual Memorial Service

This is a well attended annual service and is welcomed year after year by many who have suffered bereavement in their lives. Ministers from both Great Yarmouth and Waveney Districts alternate in leading the service. The service includes hymns, an address by the person leading the service and selection of pieces by church choirs. ~This year’s Service will be held on Sunday 18 July 2010 at 3pm in the Crematorium Chapel and will be lead by the Salvation Army. The event is free of charge, but those wishing to attend should apply for tickets from the beginning of June 2010. These can be obtained from the above address personally or by forwarding a stamped addressed envelope stating how many are required.

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Annual Crematorium Open Day

The Council opened the doors of the Crematorium to the public for the first time 5 years ago inviting the public to come along and look behind the scenes in order to expel any myths or fears. Members of staff are in attendance and provide a history relating to the building and about the history of cremation. Visitors are given the opportunity to see the music room seeing how we provide the music for each service via the internet. Visitors are then taken into the committal area which is the area where the coffin is retained prior to cremation. The cremators themselves will be open for inspection and any questions the public may have are willingly answered by our staff. This year’s opening is on Sunday 18 July 2010 from 9am until 1pm. Both this and the Annual Memorial Service are advertised in advance in the local press.

Book of Remembrance

The books of remembrance are on view daily, providing a lasting memorial to loved ones. The name of the deceased and a suitable epitaph may be recorded under the date of death or on a day which may bring memories of a happier occasion, ie a birthday or anniversary. The pages are turned daily so that inscriptions may be viewed. The lettering is hand-written in the finest traditions of medieval illuminated manuscripts and the volumes are richly bound and tooled. It is hoped to provide access to our books digitally and on the internet very shortly. Cards duplicating the inscription are available for purchase.

New this year will be the opportunity to purchase a bronze memorial wall plaque. These will initially be secured on the inside wall of our Book of Remembrance Chapel. When this wall is full plaques will be placed on the walls of the Book of Remembrance Cloister. A sample is available for viewing on the chapel wall. There is a large selection of motifs available to choose from to enhance the plaque.

Garden of Remembrance

The Garden of Remembrance provides a peaceful and tranquil place in which to gather your thoughts. If family wish bush and standard roses all with a bronze memorial plaque are available for location in the garden. Polished sterling grey granite memorial vase kerbsets are also available and will provide space on the front for six lines of gold inscription onto a black granite plaque. Included on the top of each unit will be a gold coloured rose bowl for the placing of floral tributes.

Floral tributes placed next to plaques are removed by the gardeners on a regular basis in order to preserve the beauty of the grounds. Christmas wreaths are left until the last day of January when the grounds are cleared. It is important to note that we do have a large wildlife population which includes many squirrels and so prickly foliage will help protect your floral tributes from being eaten or played with.

Bereavement Services is always looking at ways to provide for the needs of the bereaved and with this in mind we will be consulting members of the public who already have dedications in our Garden of Remembrance for their ideas and preferences for future dedications in this area.

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Memorial Trees and Benches

These are available for purchase and dedication in any of our cemeteries. Memorial benches and a suitable tree and location for either can be chosen in conjunction with a member of staff.

Future Investment by the Council

The Council are committed to ensuring that the area in which we live provides all with a healthy and safe environment and is also committed to reducing pollutants released into the atmosphere. Government legislation states that all crematoria in Britain must abate mercury emissions by at least 50% by the end of 2012. The Council are committed to meeting this target and have set aside funding for the continued improvement of our facility deciding to fully abate in 2010. Building works to extend the height of the crematory area will commence late Spring/early Summer. Following the extension to this area the new mercury abatement equipment will be installed in conjunction with 2 new larger cremators. A heat recovery system will also be commissioned which will provide much needed top up to our central heating system for the building. Extra piping will be introduced to the wreath cloister which will ensure that this area is more welcoming during the winter months. It is anticipated that there will be no disruption to services during the building and installation period.

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