I vaguely recall the case of the bones dispute. So I consulted my
nephew, who was until recently (when he fled the country) a law
reporter (Times, Independent, All-England etc) He comments:
<<Interesting case. How come I never got to report it? I would think
he would have access to a law library and could look up the report
of the case (if it was reported: I assume the newspaper item was a
news report rather than a law report) in one of the series of law
reports which deal with acclesiastical or chancery matters. One or
the other. I would try under the litigants' names, eg Claridge v
Smith, or Smith v Claridge. Or Bones, Bundle of, In re... A law
librarian should be able to help. Alternatively, look up corpses,
bodies, remains thereof etc, the law relating to, Halsbury's Laws
in... I remember a case early last year or the year before, when I
was still active in the field, about possession of the remains of a
dead person. I forget the name of the case, but it was about the
family of the deceased having access to certain parts of the anatomy
of the deceased which had been retained by medics for analysis. The
hospital disposed of the remains without consulting the family, who
wished to bring a medical negligence or some such suit, and wanted
the evidence. I once wrote a short story (published to a select
readership of editors, all of whom rejected it) about some students
disinterring the body of George Orwell from its grave near Oxford. It
was my contribution to the year 1984 (that was when I wrote it). I
remember going to the library in Middle Temple to look up (in
Halsbury, and also Coke, Blackstone et al) the law on disinterments etc. I
don't have the notes with me, but there is certainly a body of law (so to
speak) on the subject.>>
My memory of the said newspaper report was that it was a side item,
put in as a curio. I do not suppose that the date was April 1?
a.c.
Anselm Cramer OSB
Monastery Librarian
Ampleforth Abbey, York
GB - YO6 4EN
[log in to unmask]
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|