Willaston Cemetery
| Place type: | Site |
|---|---|
| Site type: | Land section |
| Town or Locality: | Willaston |
Willaston Cemetery
Situated on Dawkins Road, the Willaston Cemetery was opened on 1st August 1866. The first curator was Mr. G. Gitsham. The first burial was conducted on the 18th November 1866, of Mrs. E. Clement. The cemetery is known for its superb collection of cast-iron work associated with Gawler’s role as an industrial centre at this time. In particular, the cast iron gates at the entrance are an excellent example of elaborate lace work produced in Gawler’s foundries. These gates were restored during 2002. The iron gate posts were made by W. MacFarlane & Co. in Glasgow. (MacFarlane catalogue No.717). The same pattern appears on gate posts at the Adelaide Road Bridge, with the maker identified as A.C. Harley & Co. Adelaide (Catalogue 902). The same pattern is also found at the Memorial Hospital in Adelaide. The maker is identified as G.E. Fulton & Co. Adelaide (Catalogue 321).
The Cemetery site is nearly 14 acres in size, including the strip of natural bushland which surrounds it. The layout of the cemetery is in the shape of a diamond with the points at north, south, east and west. Two roadways cross the centre of the diamond grid and meet in the middle. From the two main roadways, a series of paths lead amongst the graves. The walls of the columbarium found in the centre of the diamond hold cinerary urns.
To read Gawler’s Cemeteries researched by Anne Richards', pages 6-12 inclusive.
THIS LINK NOT CURRENTLY WORKING BUT THE BOOK IS AVAILABLE IN GAWLER LIBRARY. We will put up the new link when it is created by Gawler Council.
The cemetery does not have specific denominational areas; however a motion was passed by the Gawler Council on 31st March 1868 to have a seperate area reserved for the burial of members of the Church of Rome.
On 8th November 2001, the Willaston Cemetery was confirmed as a State Heritage Place in the South Australian Heritage Register.
Click here to view photos and articles relating to the Willaston Cemetery.
Click here to see the 500 foolscap pages of information relating to all Willaston Cemetery interments since 1866 WHERE THERE IS A HEADSTONE. This substantial project evolved over 18 months of work by Dr John Stephenson [ex-Doctor in Gawler 1977 to 1983] and now John lives in Gymea NSW. We thank John for his continuing passion to highlight Gawler's history. Downloading this file to your computer makes it a searchable document.
NOTE - Many interments exist where there is NO HEADSTONE and, as such, those names will not be listed. Therefore, if you have an unsuccessful search, please make enquiries direct to the Town of Gawler (08)85229211 or email council@gawler.sa.gov.au
OR GO DIRECT TO THIS LIST OF ALL BURIALS UP TO 2015
Steve Garner from Garner Memorials gave an address to Gawler History Team on Headstones and memorials and look for that YouTube at the bottom of the photographs on this page.
https://www.facebook.com/burialcremationsa/posts/626440971172185
THE STATE-HERITAGE LISTED WILLASTON GENERAL CEMETERY
The township of Willaston, 39 kilometres north of Adelaide near Gawler, was laid out in 1848. When the cemetery on Murray Street at Gawler became too small for the rapidly growing population in the Gawler region, a much larger burial ground was laid out at Willaston (11 Dawkins Avenue) in 1866. The first interment, that of Mrs. Sarah Woodward Clement who died at the age of 35 on 16 November 1866, took place at the Willaston General Cemetery two days later. The Gawler Bunyip newspaper reported that she died “after a severe affliction borne with Christian resignation”.
Sarah and her husband Edward Clement migrated to South Australia in 1854. After spending two years in Adelaide, the couple moved to Gawler and Edward got into the chaff and flour trade. He held office as a councillor and mayor of Gawler, and also as a trustee, vice-president and president of the Gawler Institute. In 1868 he visited England but soon returned to South Australia, re-married and moved back to Gawler. With his second wife Julia Weaver he had eight children between 1871 and 1881. In 1889 the Clement family moved to Adelaide. Edward died on 19 October 1908 at the age of 84 and was buried in the West Terrace Cemetery.
Notably, the explorer John McKinlay (1819-1872) who participated in Captain Charles Sturt's expeditions in 1844-1845 and led the South Australian Burke Relief Expedition in 1861 searching for the lost Burke and Wills party is buried in the Willaston General Cemetery. He lived in Gawler and died there on 31 December 1872 at the age of 53. McKinlay's impressive grave site near the entrance to the Cemetery forms part of a collection of magnificent nineteenth century monuments enclosed by exceptionally fine locally-made cast-iron railings which are linked to the industrial significance of Gawler.
The Willaston General Cemetery is listed as a State Heritage Place under the Heritage Places Act 1993. Its heritage significance is that (1) it was one the first large public cemeteries to be established after the passing of the Regulation of Cemeteries Act 1862, (2) it reflects contemporary social attitudes towards the location, management and layout of cemeteries in the mid-nineteenth century, and (3) it contains the graves of some of South Australia's most significant industrial figures, including the engineer and manufacturer (John) Frederick May (1840-1897), and manufacturer and politician James Martin (1821-1899) who produced the first locomotive in South Australia.
Town of Gawler Media Release: 12/06/2020 Temporary relocation of pioneer headstones
The pioneer headstones located at the entrance of the Willaston Cemetery are being removed for conservation. Constant exposure to the elements is creating irreversible damage to the façades of these headstones, consequently, the headstones are being temporarily relocated to secure storage to ensure the longevity of these important connections to Gawler’s pioneer past. The headstones were placed at the entrance to the Willaston Cemetery in the 1990s and their reclined positioning means they are fully exposed to dust and rain which are both abrasive to stone. The draft Willaston Cemetery Conservation Plan noted that the engraving on the headstones was becoming illegible and recommended a process of obtaining gravestone rubbings to ensure that there was a permanent record. In 2017 the Friends of Willaston Cemetery undertook this project and the Town of Gawler digitised the rubbings. Unfortunately, by that stage, two of the headstones had been so badly abraded by the weather it was not possible to ascertain what had originally been inscribed.
To minimise further damage the headstones are being relocated and placed under the care of the Cultural Heritage Centre. Council Staff are investigating options for creating a new display area at the entrance to the Willaston Cemetery that will both protect the headstones from the weather and respect the State Heritage status of this cemetery. Specialist advice has been sought regarding the safe removal of the headstones and appropriate temporary storage.
“While many community members will miss seeing the headstones at the entrance to the cemetery, it is important they are protected from further deterioration. I look forward to working through options for an effective way to both display and preserve these important links to Gawler’s early settlers,” said Mayor Redman.
Please click here to view historical information from the 1998 Danvers Heritage Survey regarding this location. <1>
Photo credits:
John McKinlay SLSA c. 1860 [B 5955].
Frederick May c. 1880 SLSA [B11318]
James Martin c. 1900 SLSA [B 63891]
James Martin foundry in Gawler c.1908 SLSA [B 55524]
First locomotive made in Gawler 1890 SLSA [B 73172]
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