Bishopwearmouth Cemetery
Encyclopedia
Bishopwearmouth Cemetery is a cemetery
in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear
, England
. It lies between Hylton Road and Chester Road (A183 road
).
The 34 acres (137,593.2 m²) chosen for Bishopwearmouth Cemetery lay on the edge of the county and parliamentary boundary of Sunderland and was glebe
land, owned by the Parish of Bishopwearmouth
. The land was sold by the parish for £275 (£17,839.73 in 2007) per acre and the cemetery cost £2000 (£129,743.47 in 2007) to build. It opened in July 1856, on the same day as another new cemetery, Mere Knolls Cemetery, situated in Fulwell. All religious denomination
s were alloted separate areas and it soon became the town's main burial site. In 1891, the cemetery was extended further west and further extended in 1926. The whole site now covers 80 acres (323,748.8 m²).
population. In 1856, the only Jewish cemetery, at Ayres Quay in Bishopwearmouth, closed. A site at the new Bishopwearmouth Cemetery for Jewish burials was then dedicated in the north east corner of the cemetery (the first cemetery in County Durham
to do so), adjacent to the Roman Catholic section. On the cemetery's expansion in 1926, another section was dedicated at the new western edge and on the cemetery's final expansion in 1926, the new north-west section was dedicated and a Jewish temple was built; this section is currently fenced-off from the other wards of the cemetery.
, part of Ward 3, Section A was set aside for service war burials, of which there are 237 Commonwealth
burials, though more than 100 war graves are scattered elsewhere in the cemetery. This plot was extended to accommodate some of the World War II
burials, of which there are 156 Commonwealth burials; the remainder are scattered. There are also 31 non-war service burials in the cemetery and one Dutch
war grave.
The central (Nonconformist) chapel was formerly a listed building until it was demolished due to vandalism. The memorial to the Victoria Hall disaster
, formerly situated in the cemetery and now in Mowbray Park
, is also a listed building.
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in north east England around the mouths of the Rivers Tyne and Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It lies between Hylton Road and Chester Road (A183 road
A183 road
The A183 road runs from South Shields in Tyne and Wear, through Sunderland and ends at Chester-le-Street in County Durham. It is a major route in South Tyneside, Sunderland and Chester-le-Street serving many areas and landmarks along its route....
).
History
Due to the cholera epidemic of 1831 and the subsequent overcrowding of churchyards, it was decided to build new cemeteries in Sunderland after the passing of the Burial Act 1852 and 1853.The 34 acres (137,593.2 m²) chosen for Bishopwearmouth Cemetery lay on the edge of the county and parliamentary boundary of Sunderland and was glebe
Glebe
Glebe Glebe Glebe (also known as Church furlong or parson's closes is an area of land within a manor and parish used to support a parish priest.-Medieval origins:...
land, owned by the Parish of Bishopwearmouth
Bishopwearmouth
Bishopwearmouth is an area in Sunderland, North East England.Bishopwearmouth was one of the original three settlements on the banks of the river Wear that merged to form modern Sunderland....
. The land was sold by the parish for £275 (£17,839.73 in 2007) per acre and the cemetery cost £2000 (£129,743.47 in 2007) to build. It opened in July 1856, on the same day as another new cemetery, Mere Knolls Cemetery, situated in Fulwell. All religious denomination
Religious denomination
A religious denomination is a subgroup within a religion that operates under a common name, tradition, and identity.The term describes various Christian denominations...
s were alloted separate areas and it soon became the town's main burial site. In 1891, the cemetery was extended further west and further extended in 1926. The whole site now covers 80 acres (323,748.8 m²).
Jewish burials
Sunderland once had a thriving JewishJudaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
population. In 1856, the only Jewish cemetery, at Ayres Quay in Bishopwearmouth, closed. A site at the new Bishopwearmouth Cemetery for Jewish burials was then dedicated in the north east corner of the cemetery (the first cemetery in County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
to do so), adjacent to the Roman Catholic section. On the cemetery's expansion in 1926, another section was dedicated at the new western edge and on the cemetery's final expansion in 1926, the new north-west section was dedicated and a Jewish temple was built; this section is currently fenced-off from the other wards of the cemetery.
War graves
During World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, part of Ward 3, Section A was set aside for service war burials, of which there are 237 Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
burials, though more than 100 war graves are scattered elsewhere in the cemetery. This plot was extended to accommodate some of the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
burials, of which there are 156 Commonwealth burials; the remainder are scattered. There are also 31 non-war service burials in the cemetery and one Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
war grave.
Listed buildings
There are nine listed buildings within Bishopwearmouth Cemetery; all are Grade II. These are:- The gates, piers and railings at the north entrance of the east side of the cemetery.
- The gates, piers and railings at the south entrance of the east side of the cemetery.
- The north (Roman Catholic) chapel.
- The south (Anglican) chapel (vandalised)
- The south east lodge.
- The tomb of Christopher Maling Webster (1813–1890) and his family.
- The tomb of John Bolam (1815–1885) and his family.
- The tomb of Margaret Taylor (1849–1911), wife of Henneson Taylor.
- The tomb of members of the Vaux familyVaux BreweriesVaux Breweries was a major brewer based in Sunderland. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange.-History:The Company was founded by Cuthbert Vaux in Sunderland in 1837 and for nearly 170 years was a major employer in the town....
.
The central (Nonconformist) chapel was formerly a listed building until it was demolished due to vandalism. The memorial to the Victoria Hall disaster
Victoria Hall disaster
The Victoria Hall disaster, in which 183 children died, occurred in Sunderland, Great Britain on 16 June 1883 at the Victoria Hall, which was a large concert hall on Toward Road facing onto Mowbray Park.-Background:...
, formerly situated in the cemetery and now in Mowbray Park
Mowbray Park
Mowbray Park is a municipal park in the centre of Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England, located a few hundred yards from the busy throughfares of Holmeside and Fawcett Street and bordered by Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens to the north, Burdon Road to the west, Toward Road to the east and Park...
, is also a listed building.
Notable burials
- Sir Robert Appleby BartramRobert Appleby Bartram (shipbuilder)Sir Robert Appleby Bartram, JP was a British shipbuilder.Bartram was born in South Hylton, County Durham , and was the son of the shipbuilder George Bartram and his wife Margaret, née Appleby . On 28 December 1859, he married Ann Naizby at St Mary's Church, South Hylton...
, shipbuilder. - Joseph John Binns, department store owner.
- Sir Theodore DoxfordTheodore DoxfordSir Theodore Doxford, Kt, DL was a British shipbuilder and politician.-Early life:Doxford was born at Bridge Street in Bishopwearmouth, County Durham, on 1 February 1841. He was the eldest son of the eight surviving children of William Doxford and his wife, Hannah née Pile...
, shipbuilder and politician. - Sir James Laing, shipbuilder.
- Sir Luke ThompsonLuke Thompson (politician)Sir Luke Thompson was a British coal merchant and Conservative politician.-Early life:Thompson was born on Chester Road, Bishopwearmouth, the son of John Thompson , a coal merchant, and his wife, Catherine...
, coal merchant and politician. - Thomas Scott TurnbullThomas Scott TurnbullThomas Scott Turnbull was the son of a Newcastle saddler. He went on to open one of the largest drapery houses in the North East of England, was a founder member of a daily provincial newspaper and served as Mayor of Sunderland.-Early life:Thomas Scott Turnbull, the son of saddler John Turnbull,...
, draper and co-founder of the Sunderland EchoSunderland EchoThe Sunderland Echo is an evening newspaper serving the Sunderland, South Tyneside and East Durham areas of North East England. The newspaper was founded by Samuel Storey, Edward Backhouse, Edward Temperley Gourley, Charles Palmer, Richard Ruddock, Thomas Glaholm and Thomas Scott Turnbull in 1873,...
. - Joseph WigginsJoseph WigginsJoseph Wiggins was an English mariner, born at Norwich. He rounded out a successful career as a sea captain by utilizing a portion of the Northwest Passage. He was the pioneer in demonstrating the practicability of trade relations by sea between the North Sea countries and the northern portion of...
, ArcticArcticThe Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
explorer.