York Minster gets hate mail over Richard III’s last resting place (From York Press)
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York Minster gets hate mail over Richard III’s last resting place
10:31am Wednesday 13th March 2013 in News
By Mark Stead, Political Reporter
Richard III
HATE mail has been sent to the Dean of York and York Minster since they said they did not want to receive the remains of Richard III.
The cathedral’s representatives said last month that the bones of the last Yorkist king should be buried in Leicester, where they were found during an archaeological dig by the city’s university.
A Minster spokesman said yesterday: “York Minster has received a number of letters about Richard III, and a small number of these have been abusive.
“These have been passed to the Minster Police and they continue to monitor the situation closely.”
It is understood some letters have been sent to the Dean of York, the Very Rev Vivienne Faull, and York Central MP Hugh Bayley said he too had received such mail.
Meanwhile, a Government minister is to broker a summit meeting between York and Leicester in an attempt to resolve the row over the king’s remains.
Campaigners for Richard’s remains to be buried in York, who have compiled a 24,000-name petition, say it is what the monarch wanted. They are backed by his living descendants.
In the Commons yesterday, Justice Minister Jeremy Wright said he believed the University of Leicester should make the decision, but he would make arrangements for a meeting between representatives from there and York.
York Central MP Hugh Bayley said: “As the remains are those of a former head of state, the state should decide where and how they are reinterred – it should not be delegated to the University of Leicester.
“York believes it has a strong case, so does Leicester, so an independent committee should be set up to look at the views of all interested parties and advise the Government on what the burial arrangements should be.”
City of York Council chief executive Kersten England will form a York delegation to meet Leicester counterparts.
She said she hoped it would “take forward how we can best celebrate and commemorate Richard III”. Mr Bayley said if the meeting did not reach an agreement he would again call for the Government to decide Richard’s final resting place.
The York Central MP said he had received some “angry and abusive” letters.
But he said: “I have no time for that – we are talking about a king of England’s last resting place and we need a respectful conversation.”
York Outer MP Julian Sturdy told the debate the decision seemed to have been conducted “in a sort of finders-keepers agreement” and “hashed out behind closed doors”.
He said: “Perhaps what is even more frustrating is that Richard III’s own wishes seem not to have been consulted.”
Comments(25)
Bucktrout
says...
12:50pm Wed 13 Mar 13
Jeff_li
says...
1:14pm Wed 13 Mar 13
Bucktrout wrote:From Wikipedia...
Minster Police?!
"There are now ten officers of the Minster Police, though they are no longer attested as constables and instead utilise 'any person' powers of citizen's arrest under section 24A of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. They do not carry batons or handcuffs. Their modern-day role is to act as custodians of over 380 sets of keys, to provide information and directions to tourists..."
Not sure what they can do about the emails other than 'mark as spam'.
hustler
says...
1:22pm Wed 13 Mar 13
again
says...
1:26pm Wed 13 Mar 13
"Campaigners for Richard’s remains to be buried in York, who have compiled a 24,000-name petition, say it is what the monarch wanted. They are backed by his living descendants."
I see the petition now over 25000 signatories.
Can be found here:
http://epetitions.di
rect.gov.uk/petition
s/38772
beretta
says...
1:36pm Wed 13 Mar 13
bolero
says...
1:39pm Wed 13 Mar 13
MrsHoney
says...
2:09pm Wed 13 Mar 13
airporttaxi
says...
2:34pm Wed 13 Mar 13
This controversy is dogged by people repeating baseless assertions as though they were fact.
Stroppiness
says...
3:00pm Wed 13 Mar 13
It is bad enough that A&E have managed to convince, not only Hugh Bayley, but Julian Sturdy also, that they should nail their colours to an ill fated campaign and make York and its residents look like idiots in the House of Commons earlier this week.
York didn't contribute to the costs of the research and the eventual excavation of Richard. They didn't even get involved to the best of my knowledge.Why then, do certain people, believe that as a city we have a God given right to have Richard buried here?!! Because his "surname" was York? Because he allegedly stated that he wanted to be buried at York Minster, despite not one bit of documentary evidence being produced to support this?
Also, it needs to be remembered that Richard was a Catholic, not CofE and therefore he would probably spin in his box if he wasn't given a Catholic burial!
It also beggars belief that people would waste their time and energy in writing abusive correspondence to the Minster - what are these people on because they are devoid of reality! The Minster is well within its rights to say no to Richard's remains - it is not run by the electorate and to those people who have an issue with it - vote with your feet and do not visit the Minster again if it means that much to you.
As I have repeatedly said on this story, this has nothing to do with the historical importance of where Richard should be buried. It has EVERYTHING to do with the great greedy corporate gravy train and the opportunity to make a quick buck - I'd bet a years salary that no-one will be able to go and see his remains for free, whether here or in Leicester. There will be a special "Richard III" exhibition that costs ££s to enter. Every tourist shop and stand will be churning out Richard tat for hapless tourists to buy.
This has nothing to do with the burial of the man, because lest us forget, he was a living breathing human being at one point and not the freak show his bones are turning into. Those that are pushing for this are doing so because they see the opportunity of making money, not because they actually believe that as a man, he has a right to be buried here.
Oh, and one last thing (phew you all say!!). Given the contents of this story, http://www.bbc.co.uk
/news/uk-england-lei
cestershire-21768730
, I think the chances of Leicester giving him up are zero!!
capt spaulding
says...
4:17pm Wed 13 Mar 13
eres the work of the lord
R'Marcus
says...
4:18pm Wed 13 Mar 13
The last time I counted, the majority of York residents want the remains of Richard !!! to be re-interred in York Minster.
Listen to the people, Minster adminstrators!
Buzz Light-year
says...
4:24pm Wed 13 Mar 13
I think the majority probably couldn't give a you know what.
Stroppiness
says...
4:33pm Wed 13 Mar 13
R'Marcus wrote:Sorry to burst your bubble but:-
The Minster administrators should realise that the Minster belongs to the people of York. The last time I counted, the majority of York residents want the remains of Richard !!! to be re-interred in York Minster. Listen to the people, Minster adminstrators!
a) The Minster doesn't belong to the people of York - it belongs to the Church of England and as such, they can do what they like with it, subject to planning and the fact that it is listed.
b) I'm a little worried about your ability to count. You state that the majority of York want him to be brought here. Firstly, I know no-one that actually cares whether he is here or in Leicester. Secondly, for there to be a majority of York to want him to come here, then in simple terms over half the population would be wanting it. The last time I looked, the e-petition had approximately 24000 signatures on it, not all from York. The population of York is in the region of 100000 (probably more now, but I don't have the most recent figures). This means that less than 25% of the population care enough to stand up and be counted - not the majority as you state.
In view of both points, I suspect that the "Minster administrators" (who actually do not exist- there are clergy and lay people running the Minster) will not listen to you or anyone else in the minority, nor do they have to!
CHISSY1
says...
5:03pm Wed 13 Mar 13
again wrote:"Get a hobby for goodness sake".
Why give the culprits publicity? All trolls, are best ignored by sensible people.
"Campaigners for Richard’s remains to be buried in York, who have compiled a 24,000-name petition, say it is what the monarch wanted. They are backed by his living descendants."
I see the petition now over 25000 signatories.
Can be found here:
http://epetitions.di
rect.gov.uk/petition
s/38772
RoseD
says...
5:33pm Wed 13 Mar 13
rothko wrote:exactly!!!
I fail to understand why people get excited and abusive over a monarch who has been dead for several centuries.
I think it would have been better for all concerned if he had been left to rest under the car park.
RoseD
says...
5:35pm Wed 13 Mar 13
airporttaxi wrote:yes thank you!! he has NO direct descendants, none.
It's very lazy of the Press to keep continually repeating the same old tosh about Richard's 'living descendants'. King Richard III's children all died childless and he has no descendants.
This controversy is dogged by people repeating baseless assertions as though they were fact.
bolero
says...
5:41pm Wed 13 Mar 13
Seadog
says...
7:36pm Wed 13 Mar 13
But even the Dean and Chapter does not own the building ... it is entrusted to their care by ... well ... who knows? The monarch, perhaps, since 1534 at anyrate! But - so far as I'm aware - the monarch (despite her role as "Supreme Governor in Earth of the Church in England" makes no claim of ownership over the building ... except in the very general sense that she is overlord of us all from whom we all hold such property as we have (even if we HAVE paid off our mortgages in full!) in "fee simple".
Suffice it to say that whoever owns the building, any decision to bury RIII in it (or not) would of necessity involve the Crown, the Church Commissioners, Parliament and the Dean and Chapter at the very least.
I honestly don't know who would have the final say regarding the eventual deposition of Richard's bones, but I do know that it most emphatically would have absolutely nothing to do with City of York Council ... although said august body would of course be as entitled to make its representations to any such board of enquiry as may be be convened as any other interested party ... whether the Richard III Society, the Freemasons, the Flat Earthers or the Ancient Order of Honourably Odd Rotorblades.
CaroleBaines
says...
8:50pm Wed 13 Mar 13
Yorkie-Clifton
says...
10:20pm Wed 13 Mar 13
CaroleBaines wrote:I am sorry that people feel so incensed at the Trustees of York Minster feel that they do not want the mortal remains of a King of England . Who is this New Dean ?? She has very strong connections with Leicester . Even -- n 2000 she was appointed Provost of Leicester (the first women to lead a Church of England cathedral), becoming Dean of Leicester in 2002. Need i say any-more . People in Glass Houses should not Throw Stones . Yes the Minster Authorities will close ranks to support a very bad appointment . The Archbishop has a great say in who the Trustees will be . Over and out .
Abusive emails? Is the Dean trying to get some affordable housing built on the Minster Gardens?
Yorkie-Clifton
says...
10:26pm Wed 13 Mar 13
NoMorePlease
says...
11:21pm Wed 13 Mar 13
Yorkie-Clifton wrote:Why was it a bad appointment? You have said this twice tonight and a few times in the past. Just sounds prejudice and sour grapes,to me.
I really do hope that THE PRESS will submit an article on the New Dean and her background . Very bad appointment . I for one will be changing my Will with deep regret .
Orion Stars
says...
12:31am Thu 14 Mar 13
Firedrake
says...
9:16am Thu 14 Mar 13
rothko says...
12:41pm Wed 13 Mar 13
I think it would have been better for all concerned if he had been left to rest under the car park.