Son’s grave found after 52 years

A mother was able to visit her baby son’s grave to remember his birthday after research by her daughter uncovered where he had been laid to rest.

Mrs Beryl Pridgeon, 77, gave birth to Peter Alan on December 14, 1960, in Newark Hospital. He was born with three holes in his heart and died in the hospital when he was eight days old.

His sister, Mrs Sandra Newcombe, 50, said that at that time it was common practice for such a young child to be buried in an unmarked communal grave, either with other babies or with a female.

Peter’s burial was paid for by his parents, Mr and Mrs Alan Pridgeon, but was organised by the hospital.

There was no funeral service and his parents were never told where he had been buried.

Mrs Newcombe, who was born two years after her brother’s death, and a month after her father died in an road accident, said she had always known about Peter and when she started to look into her family history she decided to see if she could find his grave.

She visited the Nottingham Archives where she was able to access records about his death.

She discovered he was buried in Newark Cemetery, and the grave number.

She contacted cemetery staff who helped her locate the grave near the former chapel, which is now used as an interpretation centre.

Mrs Newcombe and her mother visited on Sunday morning and left a Christmas wicker reindeer full of potted plants by a tree on the unmarked grave.

Mrs Newcombe said they considered putting a stone on the grave but decided to leave it as it was.

Mrs Pridgeon, who now lives in Arnold, said it was a wonderful moment when her daughter told her that she knew where Peter was buried and they were able to visit.

She said: “I have never forgotten about him but never thought I would be able to visit his grave.

“It has given me a sense of closure.”