Continuing the story of the early history of Western Cemetery, Hull – in 1886 the Burial Committee minutes of the time record that the necessary drains and paths were laid-out across the site. Presumably this was across the whole site (either side of Chanterlands Avenue, see picture History of Hull Cemeteries 7), while in the following year the ‘planting’ was done, this referring to the planting of trees and shrubs across the site to make it a more agreeable place of resort (s.p.b.s). Also in 1887 the Borough Engineer submitted a plan for the ‘Entrance Lodge’ (survives, see picture above).
There remains in my mind some confusion over the connections between the Hull General Cemetery site (see H.of H. C.s 6) and the evolving municipal cemetery immediately west of it. For example, in 1888 it was agreed a road should be built from the ‘old’ to the ‘new’ cemetery. To do so required some moving of human remains, relatives of the interred were contacted and agreed to this being done so long as the new graves elsewhere were ‘capable of holding the usual full number of bodies'(?).
In the summer of 1888 an advertisement was posted for a superintendent and gardener for the ‘new cemetery’. It is not clear whether this was an advertisement for two men (and only men applied) or one with both skills, furthermore later references to ‘Superintendent’ refer to the man in overall charge of parks and cemeteries. Whichever was the case the Superintendent got the (new) house rent free, needed to be a ‘practical gardener’, was qualified to ‘keep books’ (accounts), not over 40 years of age and was required to provide ‘security’ of £100, a very considerable sum. Clearly the Corporation were looking for someone eager to climb the horticultural career ladder.