Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Jeremy is one of the founding volunteers from 2013. He stepped forward to manage the sensitive issues around trees in this beautiful conservation area setting and wrote two tree surveys in 2015 and 2017 to support the necessary applications for tree work, removing some of the self-seeded trees and saplings, pruning and shaping some of the larger specimens and working with a professional Arboricultural Consultant and the Landscape Architect to develop planting plans. In his spare time, Jeremy works as Engineering Director for a London-based company developing equipment for the water industry. He first moved to Berkhamsted 25 years ago; his work took him elsewhere within a few years but he was able to return to live in the same street in 2011.

Janice is Secretary of the Berkhamsted Local History and Museum Society.  An experienced local historian and genealogy researcher, she has contributed significantly to the body of life stories of those buried in the cemetery that the project is capturing on the website.   Particularly, she undertook research to discover all those buried in the cemetery who lost their lives in or just after, each of the World Wars, but who did not have a Commonwealth Memorial War Grave or appear on the war memorial outside St Peter’s Church.  “Families had to apply to have their loved ones included in the CWG scheme so it is possible that with the post war upheaval, and in the case of WW1 the Spanish flu, that there may be some omissions. Also, some people died later due to very terrible injuries.”  As a result we have a comprehensive list of names which will be added to the new War Memorial in the Garden of Remembrance.
Janice has also co-written two books with Jenny Sherwood: Berkhamsted in WW1 and Men of Berkhamsted: Lest We Forget, published by the Berkhamsted Local History and Museum Society.

Kate was the part-time Community Engagement Officer for the four years of the Lottery Funded phase. She delivered the ambitious Activity Plan which included organising Heritage Open Day events, tours and sessions for groups and schools, volunteer training, organising the Adopt a Grave programme and Genealogy Research, as well as developing the Project’s social media and website presence.   Kate is now the Ranger, responsible for ensuring that the Cemetery maintains its Green Flag status and is a safe, welcoming and beautiful space for the community, as well as leading the environmental and biodiversity initiatives in this green space.

Paul has been involved with the current project to restore Rectory Lane Cemetery since around 2009. He recalls his first encounter with the cemetery, “I arrived in Berkhamsted with a young family in 2006. In the early days we walked different routes from our home in Upper Hall Park into the town and on one foray we walked through the Three Close Lane gates. The cemetery was overgrown with fallen trees, had broken gravestones and a derelict bricked-up hut near the entrance. You couldn’t see from one side to the other, so thick was the vegetation, so I had no idea it was possible to walk down to Rectory Lane and to the High Street. Shortly afterwards I met Ken Wallis at the Petertide Fair and signed-up to volunteer for the project.  In the early days, there were some clearance parties arranged with the Hemel Hempstead Conservation Volunteers (now part of the Chiltern Society), and little by little, it was reclaimed …”  Paul has been a Trustee of the Friends of St. Peter’s since its founding in 2013, and is a committee member of the Berkhamsted Citizens Association since 2011 (and joint vice-Chairman since 2018). He chaired the ‘Townscape’ committee of the BCA for five years. In his spare time, Paul is a Chartered Quantity Surveyor in a large, London-based practice.

I have been involved in the very enjoyable task of taking photos for the Rectory Lane Cemetery Project since 2016. I particularly enjoy meeting and taking photos of people and the Project events organised by Kate Campbell have provided me with that opportunity. I have attended and taken photos at a variety of events such as Heritage Open Days, a Book Festival and events focussed on Bees, Bats and making bird boxes.
I am married with two daughters and have lived in Berkhamsted for 40 plus years and been very pleased to be involved in this local and very worthwhile project.
Locally I have taken photos at St Peter’s Church in 2019  including the Festival of Light and Advent Carols by Candelight. I also take photos for the Chiltern Society and have provided the photos for their recently published book: More Great Walks in the Chilterns.

Christopher Green is a Trustee of the Beds & Herts Historic Churches Trust and chairman of the St Albans Diocesan Advisory Committee. As a former churchwarden of St Peter’s and chairman of its Buildings Committee he has been involved in the management of the Rectory Lane Cemetery for more than thirty years and initiated the discussions on the future of the cemetery that led to the development of the Project. After an academic career in the University of London, Christopher retains an active interest in many aspects of geology and archaeology.

Glad to enjoy the peace of the cemetery at the work parties

Robin has worked for many years in interactive design, with a background in product marketing, tourism and e-learning. He has senior producer experience at the BBC and has worked with heritage organisations including the National Trust for Scotland and Berkhamsted Castle Trust, as well as for the Scottish Tourist Board and the Church of England. Combining creative and technical skills with a passion for heritage, he has led the development of the Cemetery website. He also volunteers for the Cemetery project, helping with gardening work parties, events and historical research.

Dr. James Moir B.A., DipSurv, IHBC.  James is a conservation professional with senior management experience drawn from across the private, public and third sectors. He has over 25 years experience in delivering regeneration projects and sustainable solutions for heritage assets, working on major historical sites across the UK. He was Director of Chiltern Open Air Museum between 1986-2000 and Director of the UK Association of Building Preservation Trusts from 2009 to 2014, He is currently undertaking Heritage and historic buildings consultancy work for English Heritage, National Trust, Chilterns AONB, Local Authorities.

In 2015, after replying to an article in a local magazine, Ann and Alan became the first volunteers to help in the cemetery.  At first, they concentrated on clearing the graves around the Memorial Arch.   They found great satisfaction in the peace and quiet of the cemetery and never knowing what you may discover.  Their most interesting discovery was the Seat of Remembrance, installed in memory of Brigadier General Richard Mildmay Foot, which had the additional interest of tracing its origin and then tracing the history of the Foot Family.  It was incredibly pleasing to be part of its restoration which was made possible by a grant from Tesco’s Bags of Help Fund.

Ann and Alan continue to help with the restoration of cemetery: taking part in the monthly working parties and attending project meetings.

Will is studying for his Level 3 Bankers Mason Course with Heritage Skills at the Crafts College, Stratford, alongside his conservation work in the Cemetery. He worked alongside Messenger Conservation as they repaired nineteen memorials in the first year of the project, including undertaking the recutting of the inscription on the Memorial Arch. He carries out repairs or undertakes commissions for new memorials for relatives.