Queens Road Cemetery, Walthamstow has been owned and managed by the London Borough of Waltham Forest Council since before1965. This historic Victorian site has suffered decades of neglect and a notable disrespect by the Council for those who have been lost, their families and the community that live and work around the Cemetery. It is an 11 acre site, with around 70,000 interments within around 11,000 graves. Some graves remain unlevelled in a site that has received years of chemical spraying. The Council believe this has controlled weeds, but, in fact it has created a wasteland. Each grave has multiple burials, many of those lost are not recognised as graves are ‘sold’ to other families. Once this happens any memorial to those already buried is removed to make way for another burial. 

All Burial Authorities have a general duty under the Local Authority Cemeteries Order 1977, to maintain a burial ground in good order. Waltham Forest Council have failed to do this, they should level graves as an overall part of keeping the Cemetery in good order along with good ground maintenance.  Queens Road Cemetery is not kept in good order. This could change, the buildings could be reused, a visitor centre, a community cafe, benches to sit at, plants, flowers, a lower level of vandalism. Most of all a marked respect for those lost. 

The London Borough of Hackney (Abney Park Restoration Project), and the London Borough of Lambeth (West Norwood Cemetery Conservation Project), managed to gain funding to restore their cemeteries of a similar age to Queens Road Cemetery?  Why not Waltham Forest Council? The Council also claims they are working with the Community, by this, in truth they mean a handful of people who volunteer to clean up. This is to be admired, but will not solve all the issues.  

We call upon the London Borough of Waltham Forest to restore and rejuvenate Queens Road Cemetery, Walthamstow and show respect for those lost and their families. We call upon Stella Creasy MP and Walthamstow Labour Party to stand with the people of Walthamstow and ensure that Waltham Forest Council take action to restore and rejuvenate the historic Victorian site of Queens Road Cemetery.