Mr Price has asserted that Laidlaw's grave was located in a Presbyterian cemetery. In fact, the cemetery was consecrated in late August, 1838, by Catholic Bishop Bede Polding, and documented in the Sydney newspaper The Australian, on September 11, 1838. It stated that "During the last week, Bishop Poulding (sic) consecrated a piece of ground at Yass for a burial place for members of the Catholic Faith."

Historical reports in the Yass Courier and other sources indicate that John Hanley, the first innkeeper in Yass, who was instrumental in establishing the Catholic Church in Yass and having the cemetery consecrated, was buried there in 1839. His widow Ann, and her second husband Benjamin Harrison, an early shopkeeper, were also reported to be buried there in 1848. Thomas Laidlaw's wife Catherine, a sister to Mrs Hanley, was buried there in 1841 and possibly his stepmother Charlotte who died the same year.

As the only consecrated Catholic burial ground in Yass between the years 1838 to c.1845 it is not inconceivable, given the significant numbers of Irish Catholics in the area that other Catholic burials also occurred on this site.

Thomas Laidlaw was buried there in 1876. He converted to the Catholic religion on his deathbed in order to be buried beside his wife in this consecrated ground. In his will, Laidlaw left 300 pounds to a Board of Trustees (not the council!) to maintain and administer the area surrounding his grave. The society has copies of the Deed of Trust outlining the cemetery area and conditions to be observed. The land surrounding the cemetery was sold to the Presbyterian Church in 1879 and the section of the land (1 rood 9 perches) containing the graves fenced with a white picket fence by the trustees. With the deaths of the trustees the site fell into disrepair and eventually council gained title to the land immediately surrounding Laidlaw’s grave site.

As to the assertion that it was ‘only a family gravesite’ is a moot point. A consecrated burial place deserves to be treated with dignity and respect no matter the number of burials. The ground penetrating radar survey mentioned by both Mr Price and Joyce Bush published in the Yass Tribune on November 25, 2005 indicated there are 18 likely grave sites with a further 25 possible sites identified, outside of the enclosure of the Laidlaw graves.

It should be pointed out that following council’s approval of the development application the society agreed in principle to the landscaping plan but stressed the importance of accurate historical interpretative signage and suggested the reinstatement of some original plantings.

Nor has the society been neglectful of other burial sites as suggested. With regard to the removal of the headstones in St Clement’s churchyard, the society began lobbying St Clement’s Parochial Council in November 1961 - well before their ultimate demise. We suggest Ms Mather contact St Clement’s to ascertain the fate of the removed headstones.

Mrs Bush states that she remembers graves at the corner of Glebe & Castor Streets. We do not dispute this however the society was not made aware of the graves on this site until after the development application had been approved and evidence of their existence removed. The Death Registers for the Yass Registration District from 1856 (from the commencement of Civil Registration) to 1969 do not record any burials on this site. Members of the Triggs family, who were suggested as possibly being interred there, are buried in the Presbyterian section of the Yass General Cemetery. Despite numerous requests for information on the North Yass graves, through the pages of this newspaper and by other means, no member of the public has offered assistance.

The assertion by S J Mather of a vendetta against Mr Price could not be further from the truth. Investigation into the Yass’ first consecrated burial ground has been of interest to the society for more than a decade. The site has never been readily accessible however it was inspected by heritage consultants and documented in the Yass Shire Rural Areas Heritage Study in 2002 as a place of significant heritage value. In August 2003 the society hosted a public address on the cemetery - long before Mr Price’s company acquired the site. In March 2007 a display of the historical material related to the cemetery was on public exhibition in Yass Soldiers’ Memorial Hall.

We trust that the above clarifies the historical facts and reassures the members of the public that the society is very much conscious of its responsibilities in endeavouring to maintain significant historical sites with due respect to the past - as well as the future.

Gloria Carlos,

President

Yass and District Historical Society

Cheryl Mongan,

Immediate past-president

Yass and District Historical Society