Time capsule buried at Westerleigh Cemetery & Crematorium
A time capsule has been buried at Westerleigh Cemetery & Crematorium, near Bristol, marking the culmination of the 30th anniversary of its exceptional care and services to the bereaved.
The time capsule has now been buried within the grounds, to be opened at its 60th anniversary in 2052.
Colleagues from Westerleigh Cemetery & Crematorium, together with the leadership team and members of Westerleigh Group’s head office, gathered at the burial.
Site manager Shaun Chapman-Young said: “The burial of the time capsule culminated a series of commemorative events which we hosted throughout the year to mark this special anniversary.
“We were pleased with support from the local and funeral director community as well as wider industry partners in helping us to collect legacy items to be placed inside the time capsule.
“The capsule contains a wide selection of forms and brochures that we use at the crematorium today, together with lots of photos of the site as it looks now, as well as images from throughout its 30-year history.
“We don’t want to reveal too much about other items placed inside the capsule, to make sure that those opening it in 30 years’ time get as much sense of excitement as we’ve had during their collection.
“What I will say is that it contains items relating to the history of Westerleigh Cemetery & Crematorium as well as items which reflect life in 2022.
“It would be interesting to know how our industry will have changed when the capsule is open in 30 years’ time – hopefully our cemetery and crematorium will still be serving the local community – and to know what people will make of the items in the time capsule.”
Westerleigh Cemetery & Crematorium is part of Westerleigh Group, the UK’s largest independent owner and operator of crematoria and cemeteries, with 37 sites in England, Scotland and Wales, all set within beautifully-landscaped gardens of remembrance which provide pleasant, peaceful places for people to visit and reflect.
It was built after Northavon District Council and Kingswood Borough Council decided that a crematorium to serve the communities in that area was badly needed.
Local developer Ian Pratt formed a consortium which successfully responded to an advertisement in the summer 1990 edition of Resurgam, the quarterly journal of the Federation of British Cremation Authorities, which set out a brief for a new crematorium to be built on a 22-acre site owned by Northavon District Council.
That consortium became Crematorium Management Limited and Westerleigh Crematorium opened on 27 August 1992.
