Diss cemetary’s ornately carved headstone for five-year-old boy dating to 1902 is stolen

Cemetery security has been called in to question after an ornate, carved headstone of a small boy was stolen from Heywood Road cemetery in Diss.

The headstone is for a boy who died in 1902, and is the second theft in recent times, with a carved head having also been stolen from outside the chapel several years ago.

Diss Museum manager Basil Abbot noticed the latest missing carving earlier this week, although it is believed the theft may have taken place more than six months ago.

“What kind of mind would someone have to remove and sell a beautiful memorial object like that?” he said.

“One of the Victorian era kingly heads disappeared from the chapel maybe 10 or 15 years ago. It seems to have been chopped off.

“The statue was of a five-year-old boy, Rupert Cotton, who died in 1902, and it would have been expensive, as not everyone had even a basic headstone back then, so he was probably from a well-to-do family.

“I posted on social media about it and got a reply from a woman who said she thinks it has been missing since last year, but it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly when.

“I don’t visit the cemetery all that often, but I used to do a cemetery tour and so I have pictures of the carved heads and detailed headstones. They are very characterful and artistic.

“It’s a lonely place and so security is obviously an issue. People will steal anything these days and sell it on eBay. Or they might think it will look good in a garden.

“It might be something for the council to look at, as they are responsible for the cemetery.”

Diss Town Council declined to comment on the issue when approached by the Diss Express.