Why are toys left at a boy's grave after 91 years?

Mystery surrounds why people are continuing to leave offerings at the grave of a nine-year-old boy who died nearly 92 years ago.

While Richard William Sawyer died on 20 May 1934, toys and sweets have regularly been left at his final resting place in Liverpool Cemetery. Recently his memorial statue was even dressed with a coat and hat.

One theory in the area is that the boy, known as Richie according to the inscription on his gravestone, was killed in a road accident while running after his football.

While that story has not been verified, it may arise from the fact his gravestone is in close proximity to Liverpool FC's Anfield Stadium and the memorial statue is of a boy holding a football.

"It's a very moving statue - goodness knows how his parents coped with such terrible tragedy - but their love for him is obvious in the beautiful statue which must have cost a lot of money," said Linda McDermott, who chairs and is a trustee of the Friends of Anfield Cemetery group.

"Richard's life was short but his goodness was appreciated and left a great impact."

Linda wonders whether Richard may have been succumbed to a childhood illness of the era - scarlet fever and diphtheria were prevalent at the time of his death.

The boy is one of an estimated 600,000 people buried in Anfield Cemetery which opened in 1863.

The Grade II* listed cemetery is roughly 110 acres in size and has 60 former Liverpool and Everton football players and managers buried in it, as well as other notable figures who made a huge contribution to the city.

Among them are Sir Alfred Lewis Jones, founder of the world's first School of Tropical Medicine, Michael Whitty, founder of Liverpool City Police and the Daily Post, the philanthropist Major Lester, and retail founder TJ Hughes.

Eleven Victoria Cross holders are buried at the cemetery on Priory Rd, as is "The Chinese Martyr" Sou Zen Young, Merseybeat music icons including Rory Storm and Michael Holliday, and radio presenter Johnny Kennedy.

Richard's gravestone inscription reads:

In loving memory of Richard William 'Richie' only son of Richard J & Queenie Sawyer and Grandson of William J Eyton who died Whit Sunday 20th May 1934 aged 9 years 10 months.

It also includes the quote "his sweetness was not wasted on the desert air" from the Thomas Grey poem Elegy written in a Country Churchyard.

A Liverpool City Council representative said items are only removed from graves if the council is requested to do so or if they are encroaching on neighbouring graves.

Any items removed are stored for 12 weeks for collection.

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