OT "For Sale" sign in front of Walker Museum site - Rothbiz?

[CTMilller]

Croglin - late of this message board - has just pointed out to me that there is a "For Sale" sign up in front of the site of the burned down Masbrough Independents Chapel. There is still the Walker Mausoleum standing there which is a listed building and, I believe there are still graves in the graveyard on the site.

Does anybody have any idea what is happening with this?

Rothbiz, if you're reading, grateful for any of your insider knowledge.

[CTMilller]

Bump - so this goes above the other copy of the post with the same name which I've cancelled....

[Brin]

Hi Fella.

It is indeed correct what Croglin has informed you. I walked past the site last Saturday as was somewhat very surprised to see the erected sale signage. The Walker Mausoleum does still stand within the grounds along with several graves.

Going back a couple of years, a Muslim chap owned the site and on it stood a carpet/furniture warehouse that somehow burst into flames and it was never proven how this mysteriously happened. The site was left as a derelict burnt out shell for months. The council attempted to make contact with the owner of the land to address the appalling eyesore without success and ended up levelling and clearing the site to a more respectful appearance. The council even went as far as to erecting a reasonable metal railing around the site. once cleared, it was interesting to see the grave site etc and how small the actual mausoleum was.

I have often wondered knowing that the Walker family owned what is the town's museum, why the family were never buried on the estate. I do believe though that the carpet/furniture warehouse was indeed the old Masbrough Independents Chapel hence the graves and mausoleum in close situe.
Very private though as it only appears to be the Walker family buried/interned there.

Anyone shed any further light to this story?

[Brin]

I stand corrected there are other families also buried there not just the Walker family.

The cemetery also holds the graves of other local industrial families including the Oxleys, Beatsons, Clarks, and Habershons.

[Brin]

CT....just type Walker Mausoleum Rotherham. A fascinating site.

[CTMilller]

CT....just type Walker Mausoleum Rotherham. A fascinating site.

Thanks, Brin. All useful background.

I've done a fair bit of research into the Independents Chapel since my family have a long association with it and my grandparents were married there in 1912. (Grandad worked for Habershon's most of his life and they, with the Walker family, were the great patrons of the Chapel over the years. It was common for employees to worship where the owners worshipped in those days.)

I went into the Chapel building a couple of times when it was the carpet warehouse and became involved in preserving the Walker Mausoleum from a distance when the future of the site was in doubt.

I do believe there are a lot of questions to be answered in terms of what caused the fires that led to the building collapsing and the site subsequently being cleared. I have also raised questions with RMBC, through a third party, about the First World War memorial wall tablet which used to be in the Chapel but which has now disappeared. (I have an old photograph of the memorial - it includes the name of my great-uncle who was killed on the Somme - the photo has now been lodged in the Imperial War Museum archives.)

So, you can see why I'm curious about the site being up for sale. While the destruction of the Chapel as a result of the fires was a travesty, it had become an eyesore and the leveled site - with the graves showing and the mausoleum intact - is at least tidy and respectful.

I would hate to think that it is going to be redeveloped. Until I saw the sign, I doubted that this could actually happen.

If you hear anymore about it do please email me. Thanks, pal.

[Brin]

Very interesting read thanks for that. What a great extended family you had.

I for one cannot see it becoming used for any extensive building be it retail or dwelling properties as it is on sacred ground, plus the mausoleum is also a grade 2 listed building.

Having said that you can sometimes read where church graveyards are uprooted and those having been buried there are taken to a mass burial site elsewhere, so the land can be redeveloped. I find this disturbing but the big question would be, how long does a graveyard remain just that before it turns into wilderness?

[Grist_To_The_Mill]

Very interesting read thanks for that. What a great extended family you had.

I for one cannot see it becoming used for any extensive building be it retail or dwelling properties as it is on sacred ground, plus the mausoleum is also a grade 2 listed building.

Having said that you can sometimes read where church graveyards are uprooted and those having been buried there are taken to a mass burial site elsewhere, so the land can be redeveloped. I find this disturbing but the big question would be, how long does a graveyard remain just that before it turns into wilderness?

Meanwhile on fantasy island they want to preserve that irrelevant relic called Guest and Chrimes

[Rothbiz]

The land up for sale is the site of the former chapel that did indeed burn down. It was last used as a carpet shop.

I understand that there is a covenent that prevents development on the burial site.

I also understand that rmbc stands in line for money it was forced to spend on clearing the site and making it safe when the owner wouldn't pay up.

The new roundabout scheme will also come close to the remaining mausoleum.

[CTMilller]

Many thanks, Rothbiz. Very helpful.

I do like the way we can tap into all kinds of expertise on this site (as well as share views on football and current affairs.)