Hilary Burrage

Hi i came up to St Andrews to look for My Grandparents grave and was shocked to find that all the grave that where dated 1935 era were well over grown i have a picture of where they are buried but because it is so over grown we spent 3 hours looked at over 100 graves a cleared some to but still no grave how do i go about looking for the exact plot
The Names on the grave will be Mrs Helena Dearsley died 18th August 1934/35 and Mr Albert Ernest Dearsley died between 1946 /1950

From Father John T Smith Parish Priest of Kingsbury S.Andrew

Old Church & Graveyard & The Ethel Haywood Memorial Trust

S.Andrew's Old Churchyard is a three and a half acre (approximately) conservation area. It is the responsibility of the Parochial Church Council of Parish of Kingsbury, S.Andrew. It had become severely overgrown during the last four decades. About fifteen years ago a Trust was set up called THE ETHEL HAYWOOD MEMORIAL TRUST(named after a lady buried in the Churchyard who was the wife of the benefactor who set up the trust).

This trust now has about £32,000 in capital. Under the terms of the Trust 90% of the Income can be used for the maintenance of the Churchyard and nothing else. The other 10% has to be added to the capital which cannot be touched.

In the last few years the Trust has been able to afford two working days per month for nine months of each year but is now feeling that at least one more session a month can be afforded. When this began almost every path was impenetrable with up to nine feet of brambles. Under the guidance of the former Brent Ranger, these paths have been laboriously reclaimed foot by foot and, have been mowed and turned to grass. All work in maintaining the Churchyard has to be within the limits of its being a Conservation Area.

Working with nature is a slow process but the Grave Yard has improved significantly in the last few years. The Ethel Hawood Memorial Trust is growing and this means that more can be done given time. The Probation Service is now bringing offenders who are doing community service and the improvement recently has been dramatic. It is probably the first time in 40 years that you can see the Old Church from Church Lane.

We are proud of the achievement of recent years but at the same time understand the reactions of those who see it for the first time. If they assume that this is as bad as it could get, it has certainly been much worse. Recently, regular visitors have expressed appreciation of the significant improvements that have been achieved.

A sad economic fact is that global economics affect everyone including church trusts. Falling interest rates resulted in reduced income but recently recovering rates have helped.

Unfortunately, the bottom line is always money. If the Trust Fund grows it will be possible to employ groundsmen for more time and the Churchyard will improve faster. If the future of the Churchyard is to be secured the Fund will have to grow a great deal more and so we are asking people who have graves to consider making a bequest or donation to the Trust. A donation to the Trust cannot be for an individual grave but for the improvement of the whole Churchyard.

If you would like to make a donation, cheques should be made payable to THE ETHEL HAYWOOD MEMORIAL TRUST. Bequests can be made to the trust and solicitors given the following address: S.Andrew's Vicarage, 28, Old Church Lane, Kingsbury. London NW9 8RZ.

Searching for individual graves

In the early 1990's the Central Middlesex Family History Society examined the maps and records of the graveyard and declared that they were so muddled that they were useless. They undertook the mammoth task of recording every gravestone. They then produced a detailed cross-referenced record of what survived at that time. It was a task that took many years and great dedication and the PCC is extremely grateful to those who did it.

The resulting survey are the only records that are of any use and we can only trace graves that had a surviving gravestone in 1994. If you wish to trace a grave you should apply in writing (or e m@il) with as much detail as you have. Searches are done in batches and rapid response cannot be expected.

It is hoped that those asking for searches will appreciate that it takes quite a lot of time and will make some contribution to the Trust.

The Old Church

S.Andrew's Old Church is not the responsibility of the Parochial Church Council. It is the responsibility of the Churches Conservation Trust. A very expensive tree rationalisation around the Old Church was undertaken by reputable tree surgeons with the approval of Brent Council. The cost of this was shared between the London Diocese and the Ethel Haywood Trust.

Graffiti and other vandalism is a wider social problem than S.Andrew's. In the face of current trends we are helpless and it is impossible to police the Churchyard 24 hours a day. S.Andrew's is by no means the only graveyard to suffer in this way.

Visit http://standrewskingsbury.com for more details.