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£8m music centre can go ahead after Fuller Pilch grave mystery solved

Kent cricketer Fuller Pilch, who is buried in St Gregory's churchyard. Picture: Mike Gunnill
Kent cricketer Fuller Pilch, who is buried in St Gregory's churchyard. Picture: Mike Gunnill
The picture which solved the mystery, showing Peter Pilch's mother at Fuller Pilch's grave
The picture which solved the mystery, showing Peter Pilch's mother at Fuller Pilch's grave

An old photograph has solved a mystery which was holding up a multi-million pound music centre in Canterbury.

The whereabouts of the grave of Kent cricketer Fuller Pilch was threatening to scupper Christ Church University’s plans for its St Gregory’s Centre.

The university had been told that historical records recorded that Fuller Pilch was buried in the churchyard.

But his memorial stone, which was over his grave, was later moved to the St Lawrence cricket ground in Canterbury.

Now, thanks to a photograph supplied by the cricketer’s great-great-great-great-nephew, the grave has been located and the centre can go ahead.

Peter Pilch got in touch with the university after hearing about the story and emailed a photograph, taken in the 1950s, of his mother Doris standing next to the memorial before it was moved.

Mr Pilch, 78, who lives in Wadhurst, said: “I think it is wonderful that this has happened because it has given Fuller some publicity and I am pleased to have had a hand in finding the burial place. It would be nice if a small stone could be put there to mark the spot.”

The grave is not affected by the proposed £8million development.

For full story, see this week’s Kentish Gazette, out on Thursday

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