A CAMPAIGN to have thousands of stillborn babies who were buried in unmarked graves recognised has been raised in parliament this week.
Sarah Gibson, the MP for Chippenham, highlighted the initiative during a debate in the House of Commons on baby loss.
Ms Gibson shared the story of Wiltshire-based John Murphy, a second generation Irishman, who is leading the campaign.
Mr Murphy’s baby sister is one of 60 stillborn babies buried in an unmarked communal grave in Reading after his mother gave birth to her in 1960.
His parents, who both hailed from Co. Kildare, were never told where she was buried.
MP Sarah Gibson pictured with campaigner John MurphyThrough a Freedom of Information request, Ms Gibson has found that more than 89,000 stillborn babies were buried in unmarked graves across Britain before the late 1980s.
Mr Murphy is campaigning to have a memorial plaque erected at each burial site, in cemeteries across the country, to recognise the children buried there and show that “they were loved and wanted”.
In parliament this week Ms Gibson called on the government to support the campaign.
“These families have carried their grief without support for many years,’ Ms Gibson said.
“It is time their pain was recognised. Families with stillborn children deserve a place to remember them and mourn.”
She added: “The campaign has drawn national attention after revelations that tens of thousands of stillborn babies were buried in unmarked or communal graves across the UK up until the late 1980s.
“Many families only discovered this in recent years, prompting calls for access to burial records and for memorials to be created at burial sites.
“I will continue to plead support from all political parties and push for the Government to erect memorials without delay.”
