Lairs

Post by **Jean Jeanie** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 12:40 am

I have lair records going back to a death in 1812 (aged 62) born abt 1750. However the lair holder was born long after this date(1826) she died in 1916

Can anyone tell me if lairs, in this case, 18 plots, were handed down to relatives in a will or something similar.

Inverness Council tell me that the lair records they sent to me were made up from the headstones in the cemetery and then later records that were kept.

Jean

Post by **AndrewP** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 12:51 am

My understanding is that lair plots can be passed down the family, possibly for more burials in later generations if there is space in there. However, for it to appear on record in the lair books, the council (or whoever runs that cemetery) would have to be informed for that change to be reflected in the lair books.

I know where one lair cerificate is in our family, but I am certain that the council have never been advised who holds the certificate now. The original lair holder has been lying in that plot for many years. Their children are all deceased and the certificate is in the hands of one of the next generation. As I recall, the lair book has the name of the widow of the first occupant buried there, and none of the successors who have held the lair certificate.

In our lot, I don't think the will ever specified where the lair certificate was to go. It was more that when the house was cleared and the papers were being sorted out, the question came up "who should have this piece of paper?".

All the best,

AndrewP

Post by **Ina** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 2:05 am

Hi Jean,

When my mother died five years ago I found the original title deed to a Lair purchased by my grandfather in 1913. When I went home I asked at the cemetery office who now owned the lair. They advised me that the title was still listed as being owned by my grandfather (he died in 1953), and that for a fee of 14 pounds I could have it transferred to my name, since I was the next of kin.

Ina

Post by **Tracey** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 8:23 am

Same as Ina for me (but in England). When i found my gt grandmothers grave the council told me i could have the deeds transfered to my name for a fee.

Post by **Pandabean** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 12:23 pm

Whats the cut off date for knowing who owns the lair?

I asked at Falkirk for my great grandfather and they said they couldnt give me that Information.

Post by **AndrewP** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 12:43 pm

Pandabean wrote:Whats the cut off date for knowing who owns the lair?

I asked at Falkirk for my great grandfather and they said they couldnt give me that Information.

The last time I was at Mortonhall looking at Edinburgh cemetery records, the attendant covered over part of the page I was reading, so that the column with the lair holder's name and address was hidden from me. The reason given was the Data Protection Act.

All the best,

AndrewP

michelle1 · Post by **michelle1** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 11:03 pm

Cheers to all for that information. My husband's family said that there is a family lair so I must make enquiries as to who holds a certificate (if there is one). Have recently started to trace family trees so new to all this!

pinkshoes · Post by **pinkshoes** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 11:45 pm

Pandabean - this was in Camelon:

I'm not sure if this is adding anything to the discussion, but recently we found my husband's grandfather's grave (died 1956) which has no headstone. We asked at the cemetery office if we could plant some bulbs or something to mark the grave. We were told we'd need permission from the lair owner. The attendant couldn't tell us who that was, but could tell us who it wasn't (!) and by process of elimination we established that it still belonged to hubby's grandma who died in 1963. Hubby's Dad who may have had the papers is also deceased, and although it's possible to transfer ownership to hubby, without the papers it isn't just a case of paying a fee. We were told there's a legal process to go through which calls for a solicitor to be involved.

We decided just to put some flowers on the grave, which is a bit feeble really but best we could do in the time available as we don't live nearby (hence the idea of the bulbs).

Best wishes
Pinkshoes

(Edited to add dates of death)

DavidWW · Post by **DavidWW** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 11:26 am

michelle1 wrote:Cheers to all for that information. My husband's family said that there is a family lair so I must make enquiries as to who holds a certificate (if there is one). Have recently started to trace family trees so new to all this!

I only ever found out after my mother died in 1993, amongst her family papers, my father having long since predeceased her, that the family owned a lair in Girvan, - where my father, grandfather and grandmother were buried.

The then local authority confirmed that this lair ownership was "for all time". Even if I hadn't been able to show them the lair ownership certificate that I now possess, my provable relationship to those already buried in the lair would have been taken as proof of ownership (along with any other descenadants).

Such "for all time" lair ownership may not always be the case, - it all depends on the original conditions of purchase .......

David