From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Camberwell Cemeteries
Camberwell Cemeteries
The two Camberwell cemeteries are within close proxim- The site was purchased in 1855 by the Camberwell
ity to one another in Honor Oak, South London, England. Cemetery Board (formed 1850) from the Trustees of Sir
Both have noteworthy burials and architecture.[1][2] and Walter St John’s Charity at Battersea for £9,927.00.[3] It
they are an important source of socioeconomic data in was originally meadow land, which was then designated
recording the historical growth and changing demogra- as a Burial Ground of St Giles, Camberwell.[7]
phy in the community for this part of Southwark over the The first interment took place on the 3rd July 1856,
past 160 years.[3] over 30,000 burials took place in the subsequent 30 years.
In 1874 the cemetery was expanded by a further seven
Camberwell Old Cemetery acres with the inclusion of land bought from the British
Land Company for £4,550.00.[3] By 1984, 300,000 inter-
51°27′03″N 0°03′31″W / 51.4508°N 0.0585°W / 51.4508; ments had been carried out at the cemetery.[8]
-0.0585 The Gothic Revival lodge and chapel were designed
by Sir George Gilbert Scott’s architectural firm.[7][9]
When burials were transferred to the New Cemetery the
chapel fell into disrepair and was eventually demolished.
Later the architectural importance of the lodge was
recognised [10] and when it was destroyed by fire in the
1970s it was restored rather than being torn down. The
lodge was used in the 1970 film adaptation of Joe Orton’s
play Entertaining Mr Sloane.[11]
On the 1st and the 21st July 1944 V1 flying bombs
landed in the cemetery. The blasts caused damage to sur-
rounding properties, but no casualties.[12]
On the 3rd November 2011 Azezur Khan (a.k.a. Ron-
nie), was shot dead following a funeral in the ceme-
tery.[13] Police believe that Mr Khan was an innocent by-
Camberwell Old Cemetery stander.[14]
Notable graves in the Old Cemetery
• Albert Edward McKenzie VC [15]
• William Stanlake VC [16]
• Charles Waters, founder of the International Bible
Reading Association [17]
• James John Berkeley, chief engineer of the Great
Indian Peninsular Railway [18]
Camberwell New Cemetery
51°27′15″N 0°02′52″W / 51.4542°N 0.0477°W / 51.4542;
-0.0477
The cemetery is located on Brenchley Gardens about half
Graves in the Western end of Camberwell Old Cemetery a mile from the old cemetery. In the early 20th Century it
was recognised that the original cemetery would be at ca-
The old cemetery, located on Forest Hill Road, covers ap- pacity [8] in the near future. The land for the new ceme-
proximately 30 acres (0.12 km2). It is part of the second tery was purchased in three lots in 1901:
wave of mid 19th century cemeteries [4][5] that were es- 1. The central portion of 24 acres (0.097 km2) was
tablished in London to solve the problem of overcrowd- bought from Alfred Stevens, farmer and landowner
ing in church yards.[6] The first wave of cemeteries are of Peckham Rye for £11,305 [3]
commonly known as the Magnificent Seven.
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Camberwell Cemeteries
were landscaped as memorial gardens. The crematorium
is also a listed building [20] and is notable for its beautiful
stained glass window.[21] By 1984 over 91,000 cremations
had been conducted.[3]
The cemetery has recently been used as a filming lo-
cation for London Boulevard and Hereafter [22]
Notable graves in the New Cemetery
• Freddie Mills world light heavyweight boxing
champion from 1948 to 1950 [23]
• George Cornell East end gangster famously shot by
the Kray twins in 1966 at The Blind Beggar public
house [24]
• William Pullum world weight-lifting champion
View of Camberwell New Cemetery with mortuary chapel [25][26][27]
References
[1] London Cemeteries: An Illustrated Guide and
Gazetteer, Mellor and Parsons, 4th edition 2008
[2] Camberwell Old Cemetery London’s forgotten
Valhalla, R Woollacott, 2000
[3] ^ UK Parliament, Memorandum by Southwark
Regeneration (CEM 77), 2000
[4] Genealogical Research, England and Wales,
Victorian London Cemeteries
[5] London’s Victorian Garden Cemeteries, Catherine
Richards, Time Travel Britain
[6] Victorian London - Death and dying -
Overcrowding, The Victorian Dictionary, compiled
Honor Oak Crematorium
by Lee Jackson
[7] ^ Southwark Council, Cemeteries, Camberwell Old
2. The western portion, 32 acres (0.13 km2), next to One Cemetery
Tree Hill was bought later in 1901 also from Alfred [8] ^ Save Honor Oak Recreation Park,The Forest Hill
Stevens for £19,469 [3] Society.com
3. A final 12 acres (0.049 km2), adjoining the Brockley [9] Architecture in Cemeteries, Ancestry Aid, Mary C
footpath were bought from the Governors of Christ’s [10] Lodge to Old Camberwell Cemetery, British Listed
Hospital for £6,325 [3] Buildings
Following its acquisition much of the 68 acres (0.28 km2) [11] Entertaining Mr Sloane(1970), Internet Movie
of land was rented out for other uses, including a golf Database
club and a fireworks factory run by Joseph Wells.[3] [12] Flying Bombs and Rockets, V1 & V2 Logs SE21 & 22
Although much of the land was later used for intern- Dulwich, Camberwell Old Cemetery, 02/07/44
ments there are large portions that remain unused for [13] Metropolitan Police, News Item Accessed 10/11/11
burials. Some of this land is now a recreation ground and [14] BBC News 10/11/11
there now is strong local opposition to this land being [15] Albert Edward McKenzie, Grave locations for
used for its original purpose of burials.[8] holders of the Victoria Cross, South East London
In 1926 the first part of the land was laid out as a [16] William Stanlake, Grave locations for holders of the
cemetery and was consecrated by the Right Reverend Victoria Cross, South East London
William Woodcock Hough, Bishop of Woolwich. The first [17] Monument to Charles Waters, Camberwell Old
internment took place on the 23rd May 1927. A smaller Cemetery, British Listed Buildings
section was set aside for use of Free Churches.[3] [18] Eminent Railwaymen of Yesteryear, James J.
The lodge, waiting room and mortuary chapels were Berkeley, Indian Railway Fan Club, R.R.Bhandari,
designed by Sir Aston Webb and his son, Maurice.[19] July 2008
Maurice Webb was the architect for the crematorium, [19] Lodge, Camberwell New Cemetery, British Listed
built in 1939 to meet a growing demand for cremations. Buildings
It is situated in the cemetery grounds, ten acres of which
2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Camberwell Cemeteries
[20] Cremetorium, Camberwell New Cemetery, British [24] George Cornell, Camberwell New Cemetery and
Listed Buildings Crematorium, Find a grave
[21] Honor Oak Park, Get Walking [25] Super Strength Books, William A Pullum: Wizard of
[22] Film London, Guide to filming in London, the Weight-Lifting World
November 2010, Camberwell New Cemetery [26] William Pullum, Camberwell New Cemetery and
[23] Freddie Mills, Camberwell New Cemetery and Crematorium, Find a grave
Crematorium, Find a grave [27] William A. Pullum, The Underground, Mixed
Martial Arts, Ross Enamait
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Categories:
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