Closed petition Fund a national memorial for those in unmarked / unnamed mental asylum graves

Thousands of people died in Victorian-era mental health hospitals and many of their bodies were not claimed by next of kin. Many were buried in unnamed pauper burial plots. Many burial sites are unmarked, neglected, or may even be sold, which we believe dooms patients to an eternity of anonymity.

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We urge the Government to fund a national memorial to show these people had value and deserve to be remembered. We believe it'll honour those who've died and been lost, returning dignity to their memory, and may act as a focal point to inspire communities who want to honour these gravesites locally, conduct historic research, and use public records to build a clear picture of who lies within them. We also believe it could help tackle historic shame and stigma and right a historic wrong.

This petition is closed All petitions run for 6 months

263 signatures

Progress of the petition towards its next target: 263 of 10,000 signatures required to get a government response

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10,000 signatures required to get a government response

Date closed 26 February 2026
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