A family say they have been in a "nightmare situation" after finding out a relative's burial had not been recorded.
Annemarie Donnelly's great-grandad Robert Gordon was buried in St Kentigern's Cemetery in Lambhill in August 1970, alongside his wife Mary, who had passed away in 1966.
In summer last year, Annemarie and her mum Margaret decided they wanted to have Robert's name put onto the headstone, something that hadn't been done previously due to financial constraints.
However, it was then that they found out that Robert's burial had not been recorded.
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Annemarie explained: "We contacted the council [about the headstone] and they said, 'he's not in there, why do you want to put his name on the stone?'"
"Me and my mum have spent ages at the Mitchell Library because we wanted to prove he's not anywhere else in Glasgow.
"There's been a lot of back and forth between us, the Archdiocese and the council."
The 46-year-old continued: "I've contacted the parish priest, two monsignors, and the archbishop, whose secretary told me that they don't own St Kentigern's anymore and there was nothing they could do for us.
"It was upsetting because it felt as though Robert was forgotten about."
Annemarie Donnelly with mum Margaret and daughter Olivia at the site at St Kentigern's where her great-grandfather r Robert's burial is unrecorded. (Image: Gordon Terris)
At the time of Robert's burial, St Kentigern's Cemetery was under the ownership of the Archdiocese of Glasgow, but has been run by Glasgow City Council since around August 1980, with the records also having been transferred.
Annemarie and Margaret found an obituary for Robert from the Evening Times on Friday, August 28, 1970, which read: "Suddenly at Stobhill Hospital, Glasgow, on 27th August, 1970, ROBERT GORDON, beloved husband of the late Mary Daly, 62 Sunnylaw Street, Glasgow.
"Funeral from above address tomorrow (Saturday) at 9.15am, thereafter to St Kentigern's Cemetery, arriving 9.40am."
Margaret, who was 15 at the time, can also remember attending the funeral at St Kentigern's.
Annemarie and Margaret contacted Glasgow City Council's Bereavement Services, and on August 19 of this year, they were finally informed that the council had probed the grave and found they could only get to a depth of three feet six inches.
Mary is recorded as being buried at eight feet.
Annemarie, who lives in Firhill, commented: "That proved what we had been telling them all along, that Robert is in the grave."
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However, she and Margaret, 70, were then told it would cost them "the best part of £600" to open the lair, which was owned by Robert, and look for a nameplate on the coffin for evidence to send to the Scottish Government to have the burial legally recorded.
She says she did not find the council to be helpful or supportive.
Annemarie said: "We were arguing 'this isn't our mistake; we shouldn't have to incur this charge; it should be between yourselves and the Archdiocese'."
Last week, Annemarie and Margaret contacted cllr Graham Campbell, who wrote to the council on their behalf.
On Thursday, October 8, the grave was opened by the council, and they found the nameplate from Robert's coffin.
It's understood the council undertook the lair opening without charge once they became aware of the full circumstances.
Annemarie said: "It has been a nightmare of a situation.
"It's been distressing to see his final resting place disturbed."
She added: "The council was ignoring us, not responding to emails or answering phone calls until Graham Campbell got involved, and then it was dealt with within a couple of days."
Cllr Campbell says it was an "unusual case" and not something he has dealt with before.
He said: "I'm really surprised records were not properly kept by the archdiocese or transitioned over to the council.
"I felt it would have been absolutely unjust for my constituent to pay for their mistake which in the end has been rectified.
"It shouldn't have taken my intervention for the family to have got an answer to their questions and I'm apologetic on the family's behalf that they had to go through that."
Annemarie Donnelly with mum Margaret and daughters Siobhan and Olivia at the site at St Kentigern's where her great-grandfather Robert's burial is unrecorded. (Image: Gordon Terris)
Annemarie and Margaret are now calling on either the council or the Archdiocese of Glasgow to fund a replacement headstone bearing both Robert and Mary's names.
A Glasgow City Council spokesperson said: "We understand the family’s distress at this time.
"The burial took place before the cemetery was under council operation and was not properly recorded.
"When the family got in touch to request the lair to be opened, the standard processes were followed.
"Due to the exceptional circumstances of this case, the lair was opened without applying the standard charge, and it was confirmed Mr Gordon was buried there.
"We are continuing to support and work with the family to reach a solution in having the burial officially recorded."
It's understood the Scottish Government bereavement team have now been contacted for approval to update records and provide replacement title deeds.
A spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Glasgow added: “It is good to know that Annemarie and her mum have got the confirmation they needed and can now be sure that their relative is buried where they always thought he was.”
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