Further to the the material on the repatriation of remains, Yagan's head was
recovered from one of the cemeteries in Liverpool. It was a hugely
problematic operation. The local authority had operated in what was
ostensibly a sensitive way by interring the remains, not anticipating that
there would be a request for their recovery. The delay in returning the
remains was due to the fact that the head was interred in a grave alongside
the remains of stillborns and babies. Removing the head meant that these
remains would be disturbed, which is against the law. The local authority
went through the process of contacting relatives, and there was some
objection made by them to any disturbance of the grave. As I understand it,
it was sorting out this (as anyone would anticipate) hugely sensitive
subject that was the cause of all the delay.
Julie Rugg
Cemetery Research Group
University of York
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