The curious case of the cremation ashes left at Newbury racecourse burger van | Berkshire
It’s a confusing story with a still-unsolved mystery at its core: who is the person whose cremated remains were left on the counter of a burger van at Newbury racecourse?
And why – even though the cremation urn has a name on it and a message implying a loving family – has no one come forward to claim it?
Despite extensive investigations by the racetrack and local police officers, the next of kin of the man identified as Gary Bonsor on the sticker on the side of the jar could not be identified. No racer could shed light on this mystery, and local crematoriums were unable to help either.
Now, following a petition to the ecclesiastical court of the Diocese of Oxford, Mr Bonsor – or whoever was inside the jar – will finally be buried in a local church cemetery. While the wishes of the person’s next of kin are unknown, this will at least provide a “permanent resting place” for the ashes, according to Greenham, vicar of St Mary’s.
The strange affair, which includes a cremation urn, a fast food van, a hippodrome and a medieval churchyard, began at a race meeting on July 24 last year; According to police at Newbury station, “the box and its contents” [were] “It was left on the counter of the burger van.”
Taped to the side of the vase were two printed stickers reading “RIP GARY BONSOR” and “MY DADDY IS MY HERO.” But although the racetrack checked all tickets for the day for the unusual surname and wrote to all ticket holders, there was no response.
Eventually, one of the racetrack staff took the urn to Newbury police station, part of the Thames Valley police, who carried out their own extensive searches and contacted local crematoriums “who were unable to provide information”.
According to a document A report published earlier this month by the consistent court of the Diocese of Oxford said “police attempted to trace the next of kin and said the family denied any connection with the jar, although they thought they knew the family”.
With the police clearing a vacant lot, the jar was eventually passed to a churchwarden from St Mary’s, Greenham, last September. Grade II* listed church close to race track area.
Further efforts were made to trace family members there, but again without success. The parochial church council unanimously decided that the ashes should be buried in the church’s cemetery, but the pastor, the Rev. Gail Minter, ruled that she could not legally do so without permission. facultyA legal instrument or legal instrument issued by the consistent court of the Diocese of Oxford, a former ecclesiastical court of the Church of England.
“The church is well used, well-maintained and filled with graves of local people, many of whom did not profess the Christian faith or did not attend church,” Minter wrote in his petition to the court. “Therefore, although we cannot know the wishes of the deceased or the family, we do not think it would be inappropriate to bury the remains in the churchyard.”
David R Hodge KC, acting as honorable chancellor of the court, agreed to this and allowed the burial to take place within four weeks, on the Third Sunday after Trinity – 21 June. Although the location is stated, the grave will not be marked.
The Diocese of Oxford said in a statement: “The dignity and privacy of the deceased were fundamental factors in all decisions taken in this case.” Newbury racecourse and Thames Valley police have been contacted for comment.
