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The Brisbane General Cemetery Handbook of Public Information - Illustrated

Compiled by Dr. E. W. H. FOWLES, M.A., LL.B., LITT. D.,
chiefly from Official Records supplied by
the Secretary, E. GRIFFITH OXLEY, F.C.P.A.. F.A.I.S.

1924


The Brisbane General Cemetery.

Toowong, Brisbane, Queensland.

  • Act of Parliament passed 1865.
  • Trustees appointed 1870.
  • Cemetery opened 1875.

Offices: 360-362 Queen Street, Brisbane.

'Phones: - Office and Secretary Central 762. - Grounds and Overseer Toowong 31.

Trustees, 1924 :

  • W. D. Grimes, Esq., Chairman.
  • Hon. Jas. Cowlishaw.
  • Andrew L. Petrie, Esq., M.L.A.
  • John Macdonald, Esq.
  • Jas. W. Wassell, Esq.
  • John A. Hayes, Esq.
  • Dr. E. W. H. Fowles.
  • Chas. H. Harley, Esq.
  • Edward M. Myers, Esq.
  • Col. R. M. Stodart.
  • Walter R. Scott, Esq.

Solicitors :

Messrs. Chambers, McNab & McNab, Adelaide Street, Brisbane.

Bankers :

Australian Bank of Commerce Ltd.

Auditor :

Walter E. Savage, F.C.P.A.

Overseer :

J. L. Melville.

Asst. Overseer :

F. Lloyd.

Secretary :

E. Griffith Oxley, F.C.P.A., F.A.I.S.

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The Brisbane General Cemetery.

A City of Natural Beauty

It would seem that Nature designed Brisbane, the metropolis of Queensland, to be the most beautiful river‑city in the world. Its contour site and surroundings certainly make it one of the most picturesque capitals in the Southern Hemisphere. Twenty miles of a noble winding river from Oxley to Pinkenba; the well-defined inner suburbs crowded with attractive residences; the rapidly expanding environs spreading over countless charming slopes marked by spacious roads and decorated with handsome villas; the City itself humming with traffic and business and far outgrowing the early plans of its founders; the hills and dales, parks and squares, imperial spires and substantially built warehouses, broad river‑reaches and stately ocean liners — all enter into a succession of magnificent pictures that are photographed on the observant mind as a joy for ever.

Brisbane's old cemetery used to be situated in the once restful hollow between Petrie Terrace and Paddington Hill. There in that now almost forgotten God's acre sleep many who saw the struggling scattered settlement at Moreton Bay in the 'fifties, 'sixties, and 'seventies. A pathetic interest attaches to the spot. As Brisbane grew, this old cemetery soon became full. With the selection of new burial grounds and the passing of years the place suffered from neglect. Fences fell down and a few unkempt paths, voiceless mounds, and weathered and leaning headstones with short inscriptions scarcely decipherable, were all that was left to record the passing of many a sturdy pioneer and worthy citizen. In quite recent years the land on the left of the Paddington tramline has been transformed into a sports oval; while the opposite side has been metamorphosed into a children's recreation ground, and what the poet Gordon wished has been almost realised in cold fact:

"Let me slumber in the hollow where the wattle blossoms wave,
With never stone or rail to fence my bed;
Should the sturdy station children pull the bush flowers on my grave,
I may chance to hear them romping overhead."


"I shall pass this way but once. If therefore there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do, let me do it now; let me not defer it nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again." — Stephen Grellett.

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When the Paddington Cemetery was removed, a special Act of Parliament was passed which enabled the Trustees to make arrangements by which, on the application of relatives, the remains of persons long deceased were exhumed from the old Cemetery and re‑buried in the new, and the old headstones were also cleaned, re‑lettered, and removed free of expense to present relatives.

The Brisbane General Cemetery includes an area of approximately 122½ acres and is situated at Toowong, about 4½ miles from the General Post Office. It is easily reached by tram, train or motor car. The original area of the reserve was 248 acres 3 roods 22 perches. Of this an area of 40 acres was at first definitely set aside and fenced for cemetery purposes. Toowong Park Act of 1915 the Legislature enabled and authorised the Trustees to transfer 132 acres to the Toowong Town Council for park purposes, the proceeds of the transfer being devoted to the erection of Cemetery wall, iron railings and gates. By the purchase and enclosure of 6½ acres of other land the Trustees were enabled to ensure that the total area of the Cemetery was completely surrounded by public roads.

Except for its nearness to the fast spreading city no better ground for variety of contour, accessibility, convenience of area, and excellence of drainage could have been chosen for the General Cemetery than the site at Toowong. Oversea visitors frequently admire the natural beauty of its position and describe it as one of the prettiest cemeteries in the world. A frequent tram service (3d. from the city) runs past the grounds and the gates are but a ten minutes' walk from the Toowong Railway Station. Here in many a height and hollow sleep the remains of Brisbane's silent hundreds. The extensive grounds are well planned out and are gradually being transformed into a scene of beauty in keeping with the associations and purposes of the Trust. Monuments of past Governors of Queensland and of distinguished citizens tower amid the thousands of humbler stones that rise from the flowered slopes. The development of the Cemetery area can only be made slowly as there is no endowment to the Trust, and the steady policy of the Trustees is to keep the Cemetery fees and charges as reasonable as possible in the public interest. The annual margin of credit is not large, but with judicious management the Trustees are able to carry out gradually a well defined plan of improvement.

Other Cemeteries.

South Brisbane Cemetery, Boggo Road.— Gladstone Road tram from North Quay to Cemetery gates (3d. fare). A picturesque spot — the broad winding river flowing at one's feet on to the eternal sea, the stretches of fertile land in the green pockets, the city spreading from amid the trees, and on the blue horizon the soaring peaks of God. One hardly knows which is <!--

"We sail the sea of life; a calm one finds, and one a tempest; And, the voyage o'er, death is the quiet haven of us all." — Wordsworth.

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the prettier view — the river from the Cemetery, or the green slopes dotted with their silent stones of white viewed from the river. No new ground is now available in this Cemetery, the only burials taking place being those where graves are reopened. An extensive area of land for a new Cemetery is held by the Trustees at Mt. Gravatt.

Morningside (or Balmoral) Cemetery, Bulimba. — Train from Melbourne Street Station or 3d. tram from Queen Street to Norman Park with ten minutes walk over Galloway's Hill. A comparatively new Cemetery, it already has many beautiful graves. The summit of the hill commands a view of the city so extensive and varied that one might almost fancy the departed could from their last resting place view the Land that is not far off, and gaze on the hills called Beautiful.

Other Cemeteries are laid out at Lutwyche (Kedron Park tram), Nudgee (Sandgate railway), Nundah (railway), Hemmant (motor), and in some of the older churchyards (following a homeland custom) a God's acre is sometimes found.

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Formation of Trust.

The Act of Parliament "to establish Cemeteries in the colony of Queensland" was assented to on 13th September, 1865, repealing portion of the "Municipal Institutions Act of 1864" and by-laws thereunder.

The Cemetery Trust was established in 1870. The position is purely honorary, none of the Trustees, not even the Chairman, receiving any allowance whatever.

An original letter (still in the possession of Hon. James Cowlishaw) marks the genesis of the present Trust:—

Circular.

Department of Public Lands,

Brisbane, October 12th, 1870.

Sir,— I am directed to acquaint you that His Excellency the Governor with the advice of the Executive Council has been pleased to appoint you to be a Trustee of the New Brisbane Cemetery in conjunction with the following gentlemen, John Hardgrave, William Pettigrew, Samuel Walker Griffith, George Edmondstone, Alexander Raff, John Petrie, Michael Quinlan, Nathaniel Lade, and William Perry, Esquires, and I am to suggest that you will have the goodness to take an early opportunity of conferring with the other Members in order that the purposes for which the Trust is appointed may be speedily carried out.

The notification of the appointments as well as the description of the land which it is proposed to reserve for Cemetery purposes appeared respectively in the Government Gazette of 10th and 8th instants.

I have the honour to be, Sir, Your most obedient Servant, (Sgd.) W. Alcock Tully, Under Secretary

Jas, Cowlishaw, Esq, Brisbane,


" Then at the balance let's be mute, We never can adjust it; What's done we partly may compute But know not what's resisted." -Burns,

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Following is the complete list of Trustees, according to the date of appointment:-

Name. Appointed. Died. Resigned.
1. James Cowlishaw* Oct. 10, 1870
2. John Petrie Oct. 10, 1870 1893
3. William Pettigrew Oct. 10, 1870 1906 Oct. 31, 1904
4. John Hardgrave Oct. 10, 1870 1906
5. Samuel Walker Griffith Oct. 10, 1870 1893
6. George Edmondstone Oct. 10, 1870 1883
7. Alexander Raff Oct. 10, 1870 April 11, 1904
8. Michael Quinlan 1870 1878
9. Nathaniel Lade 1870 1895
10. William Perry 1870 1891
11. Coleman Davis 1873 1881
12. Thomas Bunton Sept. 6, 1878 1907
13. George Myers July, 1881 May 18, 1920
14. Richard George Petty 1883 Sept. 25, 1899
15. Andrew Lang Petrie* Feb. 1893
16. John George Cribb 1893 1905
17. Frederick Shaw Dec. 9, 1893 1897
18. Moses Ward Oct. 21, 1895 Sept 21, 1914
19. William Thorne June 19, 1897 Oct. 11, 1915
20. William Douglas Grimes* Mar. 3. 1900
21. John Macdonald* July 16, 1904
22. George Frederick Scott Aug. 12, 1905 Sept. 28, 1923
23. James Stodart Jan. 23, 1907 June 20, 1922
24. James William Wassell* Jan. 23, 1907
25. John Aloysius Hayes* Nov 9, 1907
26. Edwin Wesley Howard Fowles* Dec. 10, 1914
27. Charles Henry Harley* Dec. 2, 1915
28. Edward Myer Myers* July 8, 1920
29. Robert Mackay Stodart* July 8, 1922
30. Walter Rutherford Scott* Nov. 8, 1923

* In office 1924

" Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of." —B. Franklin.


" Grow old with me! The best is yet to be, The last of life, for which the first was made. Our times are in his hand Who saith 'A whole I planned.' Youth shows but half; trust God, see all, nor be afraid! " — Browning.

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Chairmen.

The first Chairman of the Board was John Petrie, who held office twenty‑three years (1870-1893). He was succeeded by William Pettigrew, who occupied the position till his resignation, October 31, 1904. John Hardgrave next held the office for a short term of two years till his death in 1906. The fourth Chairman was George Myers (1906-1919), a Trustee in July, 1881, who held that post till his death, May 18, 1920. James Stodart, M.L.A., succeeded him and was Chairman till June 20, 1922, the date of his death. The present Chairman is W. D. Grimes, Esq., who has been a Trustee for over twenty-four years.

Secretaries.

The Secretaries have been :—

  1. Arthur Rawlin, October 18th, 1870 - July 1st, 1875.
  2. Henry J. Oxley, July 1st, 1875 - July 30th, 1916, constituting a remarkable record of forty-one years of efficient and faithful service.
  3. E. Griffith Oxley, 1916 - still in office. (Acting Secretary from March 11th, 1907, to September 19th, 1916).

Overseers.

John Melville, January 1st, 1874-March 8th, 1912, a period of thirty-eight years, during which he proved himself a most capable and loyal officer.

Thomas H. Brown, April 22nd, 1912-May 25th, 19I6.

J. L. Melville, June 20th, 1916 — still in office.

Meetings and Extracts from Minutes.

Ordinary meetings of the Trustees are held regularly every month, and additional emergency meetings are held as required. Only twice in fifty‑three years did the meeting lapse for want of a quorum.

On October 10th, 1922, the Trustees held a special meeting at the residence of Hon. Jas. Cowlishaw, M.L.C., to signalise his fifty years honorary service as Public Trustee - a record unique in Australia. On March 6th, 1924, an interesting special meeting was held at the same place, the whole eleven Trustees being present.

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Very many interesting names and facts are recorded in the minutes. A few extracts from these are here given :—

The first meeting of the new Board was held on October 18th, 1870, when John Petrie was appointed Chairman. At the meeting on October 25th, 1870, there were present: John Petrie, William Perry, John Hardgrave, Nathaniel Lade, Samuel Walker Griffith, William Pettigrew, George Edmondstone, and Alexander Raff.

Search commenced for a suitable site. The first cheques drawn by the Trustees were £2/10/- for "Kerr-cab hire to the ground," and £2/10/- "Hannah-sinking holes."

A Government Cemetery Reserve had been set apart, and in October, 1871, forty acres were chosen to meet "present requirements."

John Ballard': tender for erecting 540 rods of "good pig-proof fencing" was accepted at 20/- a rod.

A Keeper's Lodge was built by E. Lewis, who also erected the gates and ornamental fencing.

Rules and Regulations and a Scale of Charges were drawn up by Messrs. Pettigrew and Griffith (i e., Rt. Hon. Sir S. W. Griffith, afterwards Chief Justice of the Commonwealth).

John Hannah was put in possession of the cottage at a salary of £2/2/- a week.

Portions of the Cemetery were set apart in March, 1875, for Church of England, Hebrew, and Wesleyan denominations; and later for St. Paul's Free Church of England and Ireland, Methodist Connexion, Roman Catholic Church, and New Jerusalem Church.

In 1875 plans were prepared by the Surveyor-General and a proper set of books from Government Printer.

A £10 honorarium was given to Mr. Rawlin for acting as Secretary during 1874.

The Cemetery was officially opened 5th July, 1875.

A permanent Secretary soon became necessary, and Henry J. Oxley, of Queen Street, was selected from eighteen applications.

J. Melville, on 17th August, 1875, was designated as Overseer in charge.

On July 11th, 1875, the Acclimatisation Society gave fifty trees for planting in the Cemetery.

The deed of grant of Cemetery lands was received April, 1877.

In 1877, Parliament appointed a committee to enquire whether the Cemetery was a suitable place for interment.

The gardens began to be tended by a "dresser" in 1878. Later, Wm. Melville was appointed to the work.

In February, 1879, E. Bishop secured the tender for a three roomed cottage at £108.

The Cemetery was opened for interment on Sundays, 6 to 8 a.m. and 3 to 5 p.m, in January, 1881.

A telephone was installed 1882.

The rules and regulations were amended in 1882.

The number of interments for year 1883 was 916.

For many years a donation was given to the Acclimatisation Society and to Brisbane General Hospital.

A pavilion was erected in 1885.

A public Meeting was held at Toowong, July 16th, 1885, to discuss the closing of the Cemetery at Toowong.

The Secretary then stated that the value of private graves would be about 65000, and of headstones about $25,000. The Secretary then stated the value of the private graves would be about £5000, and of headstones £25,000.

In August, 1885, there was a proposal for a new cemetery at Goodna. On 24th September, 1885, a party visited Woolston to inspect the proposed site.

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Mr. Robert Lindsay was auditor during 1884—1889; Mr. Blakeston Robinson held the office 1889—1917; and Mr. Walter E. Savage from 1917 to date.

On April 27th, 1886, a request from the Colonial Secretary's Office for a reserve for interment of men of the A Battery dying during term of service with the colours was granted.

On 14th October, 1886, a party visited the Rifle Butts at Woolston to consider a site as suitable for a Cemetery. Reported as unsuitable. Later a Reserve was set aside by the Government, and in 1889 thirteen Trustees of it were appointed. It was arranged in June, 1887, that part of land to left of road be used as Rifle Range, the Colonial Secretary paying £15 a year nominal rent for it.

A new cottage was built at cost of £250.

In 1901 it was estimated that there was room in the present portion of Toowong Cemetery (taking the other metropolitan cemeteries into account) for the needs of Brisbane for the next fifty years, and if the portion used for Rifle Butts were included the needs for one hundred years would be adequately met.

For years there was an agitation for a railway loop line to the Cemetery gates. Political promises were made, but the coming of the trams soon after 1901 rendered the railway unnecessary.

The extension of the cars also contributed to the postponement of any scheme for opening up a new cemetery at Woolston.

Early in 1903 the Toowong Town Council proposed the closing the Cemetery.

On Sunday, July 24th, 1904, so great a crowd was in attendance at the unveiling of Spragg's memorial that damage was done to surrounding graves. When Hon. William Henry Browne's memorial was unveiled on April 30th, 1905, a squad of twelve police were present to protect the surrounding railings and tombstones.

In December, 1907, a Sectional Register from earliest records to date was made at a cost of £50.

Considerable improvements to the grounds were effected in 1908; fences and out-buildings were repaired, and trees removed.

Fees were increased as in Government Gazette of December 25th, 1909.

New Rules and Regulations appeared in Government Gazette of 4th April, 1910.

In 1913 The Cremation Act came into force, but has so far proved inoperative. A Cremation Society of Brisbane had conference with Trustees, and negotiations were carried on, and a choice of three sites had been offered. No cremating has yet taken place in Queensland. No Crematorium has yet been established.

In 1914 the Trustees consented to the transfer of part of their ground, known as the Old Rifle Range, to the Toowong Town Council, for the sum of £1000 and the right to obtain top-dressing materials from a specified area. The land was originally 257 acres; 8 were needed for streets, 100 were utilised as cemetery, 15 were used as sites for cottages and offices, and 134 was known as the Rifle Range. The Toowong Park Act was passed on November 15th, 1915. Shortly afterwards the money was paid and the transfer was effected.

In April, 1916, the Trustees purchased 6½ acres contiguous to the present grounds at £30 an acre, thus completing a convenient cemetery acreage, entirely surrounded by public roads.

In 1916 the Brisbane Tramways Company Ltd. erected a shelter shed.

New Rules and Regulations were gazetted 9th January, 1917.

The Stone of Remembrance was unveiled by His Excellency the Governor-General of the Commonwealth on Anzac Day (April 25th), 1924. witnessed by a large multitude. It was a most impressive ceremony, the land on which the Cross of Sacrifice and Stone of Remembrance are erected is one of the most conspicuous and picturesque spots in the Cemetery, and was donated by the Trustees to the Anzac Memorial Committee. (Photo p. 10)

The new building was completed in 1924

The Trustees' policy throughout has been to keep down all fees and charges to a reasonable scale compatible with the growth of the city, the desire for extensions, and the need for gradual improvements. A very useful building has now been erected (see photo. page 4) making provision for Cemetery office, tool room and lockers, lavatories, retiring rooms, dining room with gas jet, shower, etc., for convenience of the staff.

Included in the plans for future development (when finances allow) is the erection of a mortuary chapel, a possible crematorium, the erection of more suitable walls, fencing and entrances, the planting of trees, and an extension of the system by which in return for the payment of a lump sum the Trustees undertake the upkeep and tendance of any grave.

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Garden

For some years the cultivation of flowers within the Cemetery grounds has been a special feature. This provision by the Trustees is much appreciated by the public. Flowers, shrubs and plants may be obtained at any time during the working hours of the Cemetery at a moderate charge. This branch of the activities has been created to meet the needs of relatives and friends visiting the graves of the departed, and often on holidays and Sundays the demand for flowers has been greater than the supply. The Trustees also undertake, besides the filling and tending, etc., of enclosures, the obligation of placing flowers on graves for any stated time or period, at a fee which can be mutually arranged.


Planting of Trees.

For twenty years prior to 1902 many plants and young trees were supplied from the Acclimatisation Society's gardens. As these have grown they have added to the health and beauty of the grounds.

In February, 1905, the old dam, that used to be in the Cemetery, was emptied as being no longer required on account of the water taps now placed at various points in the Cemetery.

Attendance to Graves.

The lowest amount now accepted to enable a grave to be attended to in perpetuity is £50. These amounts are paid into a Trust Fund (over £1200 has been already received for this purpose) and a formal agreement is made between the Trustees and the relatives or parties who provide the money. The interest on this money is devoted solely to the purposes of the Trust, and in this way the Trustees are enabled to keep the enclosure perpetually in good order, attending to the monument, and stone coping and railings whenever necessary, and re-lettering and painting whenever desirable.

The Staff.

The overseer is John L. Melville, the assistant overseer is F. Lloyd, and among the efficient and contented staff of twenty-one men are several who have been in the employ of the Trustees for over fifteen years.

Accidents.

The staff are now all insured under the Workers Compensation Act. The first payment of £16 10s. was for the year 1906 when the wages were £1650, but as only one accident had occurred in the previous 32 years (when the overseer was helping some one outside his duties) the Trustees then decided to carry their own risks. Later the Trustees insured all employees under the Act.

Cemetery Hours.

For funerals and visitation, see Rules appended hereto. As in most cities the favourite time for visitors is Sunday afternoon, and the setting sun sheds its rays softly on floral tributes that deck hundreds of graves and tell of a love that many winters cannot efface. Not a day passes but what graves

" Life! we've been long together Through pleasant and through cloudy weather ;.

"Tis hard to part when friends are dear,-Perhaps 'twill cost a sigh, a tear; Then steal away, give little warning, Choose thine own time; Say not 'Good-night,' but in some brighter clime Bid me 'Good-morning'" — Mrs, Barkauld,


are visited and evidences left of renewed affection and care. Admission is free and unrestricted to any section, and the overseer or any of the staff will be glad to afford any information on the position of old or present graves. All that is required is that visitors shall conduct themselves circumspectly, and walk along the paths without destroying or injuring any of the flowers or mementoes or headstones, and without stepping over any of the graves. For visitors the Cemetery is open from 6 a.m.- 6 p.m. For funerals the hours are 8 am to 6 p.m.from September to April, and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from May to August. Further detailed information is found in the Rules printed herewith.

Sunday Funerals.

The undertakers decided that after April 1st, 1903, no funerals would be conducted on Sundays. A few months afterwards two of the undertakers notified that they would conduct funerals on Sundays if necessary. The Council of Churches disapproved of Sunday funerals. The Cemetery By-Laws allowed them between 8-9 a.m. and 2-5 p.m. The Trustees allowed the By-Laws to stand. There were only five funerals on Sundays from 5th April, 1903, to 26th March, 1905. The present hours are 8-9 a.m. only, unless a special permit is granted by the Trustees.

Interesting Records and Statistics.

The list of first burials at Toowong includes the names of —

|:--|:--| | Samuel Wensley Blackall | January 3, 1871 | | Ann Hill | November 2, 1871 | | Thos. Kingsmill McCulloch | November 19, 1873 | | Martha McCulloch | November 19, 1873 | | Teresa Maria Love | March 16, 1875 | | Florence Caroline Gordon | July 4, 1875 | | Ethel Maud Gordon | July 4, 1875 | | Jas. Thos. Jackson | July 9, 1875 |

The average number of burials per month (on a basis of the years 1919- 1923) is as follows :—

|:--|--:| | January | 139 | | February | 118 | | March | 117 | | April | 107 | | May | 146 | | June | 150 | | July | 148 | | August | 135 | | September | 132 | | October | 147 | | November | 144 | | December | 144 |

The total of interments per month during 1919 was—

|:--|--:| | January | 146 | | February | 113 | | March | 131 | | April | 108 | | May | 247 | | June | 201 | | July | 123 | | August | 132 | | September | 135 | | October | 173 | | November | 149 | | December | 130 |

and during 1923 was—

|:--|--:| | January | 150 | | February | 106 | | March | 87 | | April | 108 | | May | 129 | | June | 134 | | July | 181 | | August | 136 | | September | 143 | | October | 184 | | November | 148 | | December | 163 |

The number of burials for the past ten years (during which Brisbane has grown from 154,000 to 230,000, but no new metropolitan cemeteries have been opened) have been :—

|--:|--:| | 1913 | 1385 | | 1914 | 1266 | | 1915 | 1346 | | 1916 | 1406 | | 1917 | 1282 | | 1918 | 1431 | | 1919 | 1798 | | 1920 | 1584 | | 1921 | 1508 | | 1922 | 1569 | | 1923 | 1669 |

The total interments for respective individual years are as follows :—

|--:|--:| | 1875 | 417 | | 1890 | 1122 | | 1900 | 824 | | 1910 | 1039 | | 1919 | 1798 | | 1920 | 1584 | | 1921 | 1508 | | 1922 | 1569 | | 1923 | 1669 |

The total interments to 31st December, 1923, are 51,322.

The memorials to 31st December, 1923, number 7710.

The Great Reaper reaps the bearded grain as well as " the flowers that grow between, " and all ages are represented in the graves, from the infant who perchance never opened its eyes to the great grandfather who has seen a hundred summers come and go. Centenarians buried at Toowong include the following records: —

|--:|:--|:--| | July 4, 1894 | Margaret Jane Brennan | 103 years 5 months | | March 10, 1900 | Michael Ryan | 101 years | | Oct. 18, 1908 | Catherine Jacobs | 103 years | | Jan. 1O, 1920 | Thomas Taylor | 103 years | | June 5, 1922 | Jas. O'Brien | 100 years |

(It is, perhaps, always well to remember in connection with this question that while parish registers in the United Kingdom and elsewhere often date very far back, compulsory registration of births date practically only from 1874, the Act of 1836 having proved very defective).

Rules and Regulations.

Following are extracts from the Rules, Regulations, and Scale of Fees, which were adopted by the Trustees, approved by His Excellency the Governor-in-Council, published in the Government Gazette of 23rd February, 1924, and came into operation as from 21st February, 1924.

For all particulars in respect to plots or burials, or other information required, apply direct to the Secretary.

  1. Hours appointed for the performance of burials are from 8 o'clock a.m. to 6 o'clock p.m. from September to April inclusive, and from 8 o'clock a.m. to 5 o'clock from May to August inclusive. On Sundays the hours appointed for burials are from 8 o'clock a.m to 9 o'clock a.m. throughout the year. No burials will be allowed to take place at any other time, unless in case of great urgency, and upon the written authority of two trustees, and such conditions as they may impose and payment of the provided in such case in Schedule A hereto.

  2. The several fees and charges set forth in Schedule A hereto shall be payable in respect of the several matters therein specified. All fees and charges shall be paid at the time of making application for the thing or matter in respect of which they are payable.

  3. The trustees, or person appointed by them for that purpose, shall determine the size and position of all graves or vaults to be sunk in the cemetery. No catacombs will be allowed.

  4. No person shall be allowed to prepare a grave within the cemetery except the sexton appointed by the trustees, or his assistants.

  5. All graves made in the cemetery shall be sunk at least six feet; not more than two bodies of adults be interred in one the grave is sunk over six feet. Only one grave will be allowed on a 9 by 5 allotment opened ten inches from boundary. An adjoining allotment may be secured if application made within seven days from the date of the first burial. Three graves will be allowed on the two allotments. A grave in which the body of an adult has been buried shall not be reopened for twelve months from the date of burial, and a grave in which the body of a child has been buried shall not be reopened for six months from the date of burial, except in either case by permission of the trustees. No person will be allowed to select more than one 9 by 5 allotment.

  6. Any person selecting a 9 by 5 allotment shall have the right to secure an adjoining allotment if available and if application is made within seven days of date of the first burial.

  7. Applications for interment shall be made in writing to the trustees or person appointed by them for that purpose, at the office of the trustees in Brisbane, or at the cemetery.

  8. All charges shall be remitted on the burial of any poor person cemetery (except in the case of burials by persons under contract with the Government or any public hospital to perform such burials) upon its being proved to the satisfaction of at least three trustees that such person was a pauper, or that the relations and friends of the deceased are unable pay the costs and charges of such burial. Where paupers are buried by such contractors, the charge shall be in accordance with: the scale set forth in Schedule A hereto.

  9. Orders for interment shall be given at the cemetery at least six working hours (and where the ground is known to be hard, eight working hours) before the hour fixed for the burial, otherwise an extra charge shall be made in accordance with the scale in Schedule A hereto. No free interment will be allowed without such notice. Working hours shall be 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday to Saturday, inclusive.

  10. No burial shall be allowed to take (except under circumstances of most urgent nature, and upon the written authority of two trustees, some duly qualified medic a certificate of practitioner) without a certificate of the registration of the death, signed by the Registrar-General, the Deputy Registrar-General, certificate of a coroner magistrate holding an inquest or inquiry: such shall be delivered the sexton before the funeral enters the gate of the cemetery.

  11. Applications for permission to have a private grave prepared, a vault constructed, or a monument, tombstone, or tablet erected, or to enclose the allotment by any means whatsoever, shall be made to the or to the person authorised by them for that purpose.

  1. Persons requiring brick graves or vaults to be made in the cemetery shall submit plans of them for the approval of the trustees, and construct them under the direction of a surveyor appointed by the trustees. Every coffin placed in a vault or brick grave shall be bricked in, cemented, and covered with a slab of stone, slate, or iron; and every such coffin shall have on the lid a lead or copper plate with the name of the deceased stamped thereon.

  2. A copy of every epitaph or inscription proposed be engraved or placed monument, tombstone, or tablet shall be submitted the trustees for approval, and they may withhold such approval if the proposed epitaph or inscription appears to them inappropriate or unbecoming.

  3. No trees or shrubs which, in the opinion of the trustees, may ultimately cause any damage or inconvenience to the adjoining allotments shall be planted on any grave. The trustees may order the removal of any monument, tombstone, or other erection which shall not have been sanctioned by them, and of any trees or shrubs planted on or near any grave which in their opinion are objectionable.

  4. All monuments, vaults, gravestones shall be kept in repair and proper condition by or at the expense of the owners.

  5. Neither the sexton nor any other person employed by the trustees shall receive any gratuity for the performance of his duties without the special permission of the trustees granted upon application made to them by the person interested. Any infringement of this rule shall lead to the immediate dismissal of the person offending.

  6. A plan of the cemetery, a register of all special grants, and a register of the position of all graves in the cemetery, shall be kept by the trustees, and be open to inspection upon the payment of the charges mentioned in Schedule A hereto.

  7. The cemetery shall be open daily to the public from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

  8. The sexton may remove from the cemetery or take into custody (as the case may require) any person who shall behave indecorously or commit any trespass or injury to trees, flowers, or erections, or otherwise infringe any of the provisions of the laws relating to the management of cemeteries in Queensland or the regulations framed under the authority thereof; and any such person will be proceeded against according to law.

  9. The single graves in the public grounds of the cemetery may be converted into private graves on payment of the sum of fifteen shillings, application is made within three months from the date of burial.

  10. Every workman or employee, whether employed by the trustees or by any other person, shall at all times whilst so employed within the cemetery be subject to the supervision, directions, and control of the overseer; and any such workman or employee who shall fail or neglect to obey an such directions in respect of such employment as may be given by the said overseer, or who shall be guilty of any offence against these Regulations, shall be liable to a penalty exceeding one pound.

  11. Any person taking any part in dressing or attending to a grave or in of a monument, wall, railing, or of any description shall comply with the following rules, viz.—

    (a) No rubbish, clay, or other material removed in dressing a grave shall be placed on any other grave, and if placed on any adjoining ground, shall be removed immediately after the completion of the work.

    (b) No loam shall be taken from any portion of the cemetery for the purpose of dressing any grave.

    (c) No plant, equipment, or surplus material shall be placed on any adjoining grave or ground, except so far as may be necessary to carry out the work and while the work is being carried out, in which case it shall be promptly removed on completion of the work and the place left in good order and condition.

    (d) Work in all cases shall be carried on with due despatch and only during regulation hours.

  12. No person shall carry on within the cemetery any trade, business, or calling, or promote or advertise the same either by solicitation, distribution of circulars, cards, or otherwise, or by any other system of advertisement whatever.

  13. No person other than the owner or a member of his household shall be permitted to interfere in any way whatever with a grave or enclosure unless by special consent of the trustees.

  14. The trustees will keep in order the graves and enclosures, provide soil, and fill in enclosures, and tile graves on payment of the fees, in advance, as set forth in Schedule A hereto.

  15. In the event of the trustees, receiving a sum of money by way of gift or bequest for the purpose of keeping a grave in order perpetually, the trustees shall invest the same in such manner as they may deem fit, and shall only use the interest obtained from its investment for the said purpose, unless the donor or testator authorises the trustees to expend the principal sum or any part thereof.

SCHEDULE A.

Fees and charges.

Public graves—

£ s. d.
A single grave in open ground 2 0 0
A single grave in open ground for children under eight years 1 0 0
Stillborn child 0 7 6
A single grave in open ground, in the case of burials by contractors, as mentioned in rule 12 (adults) 1 10 0
A single grave in open ground, in the case of burials by contractors, as mentioned in rule 12 (children under eight) 0 12 6

Private graves—

£ s. d.
Land for graves (unselected) 9 feet by 5 feet 1 10 0
Land for graves (selected) —
9 feet by 5 feet 4 4 0
9 feet by 6 feet 5 0 0
9 feet by 7 feet 5 10 0
9 feet by 8 feet 6 0 0
9 feet by 9 feet 7 7 0
9 feet by 10 feet 8 8 0
9 feet by 11 feet 9 9 0
9 feet by 12 feet 12 12 0

Larger areas and special ground at the rate of £2 2s. per foot.

Land in portion 22, and in such higher part of portion 7A as may be defined by the trustees, at the rate of £5 5s. per foot.

(Note.—"Special ground" means any land which, in the opinion of the trustees, is more favourably situated by reasons of access roads or other circumstances.)

£ s. d.
Interment fee (unselected graves), including cost of sinking each grave 6 feet 2 0 0
Interment fee (selected graves), including cost of sinking each grave 6 feet 2 10 0
Children under eight years 0 5 0
Where grave covered with concrete (additional fee) 0 2 6
Where any tree, memorial, or wall be removed cleared before sinking grave, such additional fee as will cover expenses incurred by trustees.

Interment fee, including cost of sink-each grave over 6 feet, under:—

£ s. d.
For the first additional foot 0 12 6
For the second additional foot 0 15 0
For the third additional foot 1 0 0
And so on, every additional foot 1 0 0
For opening a grave or vault 1 15 0
Opening child's grave for burial of adult 1 15 0
Exhuming (in addition to fees for openings) 3 3 0

Making grave larger than 6 feet inches by 2 feet —

£ s. d.
Over 6 feet 6 inches in length, first inch 0 1 6
Every additional inch 0 0 6
Wider than 2 feet, first inch 0 2 6
Every additional inch 0 1 0


£ s. d.
For certificate of right of burial in private graves 0 5 0
For each interment or preparation of grave which takes place on day or any award holiday (additional fee) 3 3 0
For all interments not taking place the hours appointed (additional fee) 0 10 6
For any funeral timed to take place at or prior to 6 o'clock p.m. from September to April, inclusive, or 5 o'clock p.m from May to August, inclusive, and not concluded 6.15 p.m. or 5.15 p.m. during the respective periods before-mentioned for every additional 15 minutes or part thereof (additional fee) 0 10 6
For funerals not arriving at the appointed time (additional fee) 0 10 6
For all interments where the notice required is not given (additional fee ) 0 10 6
For permission to erect a headstone 0 10 6
For permission to erect a monument or tomb 2 2 0
For permission to erect a tablet 0 5 0
For permission to enclose ground 0 5 0
For dressing grave 0 2 6
For iron label (to be charged in all cases) 0 1 6
For copy of register 0 2 6
For inspecting the plan or register 0 1 0

Garden account—

£ s. d.
For tending and dressing grave 9 feet by 5 feet, per annum 0 10 0
9 feet by 9 feet 0 10 0
9 feet by 10 feet 0 15 0
9 feet feet by 12 feet 1 0 0
For larger areas or special attention, as per arrangement.
For tiling a grave—
9 feet by 5 feet 2 10 0
9 feet by 9 feet 3 10 0
9 feet by 10 feet 3 15 0
9 feet feet by 12 feet 4 0 0
Larger areas as per arrangement.
Supplying soil, per cubic yard 0 10 0
Filling in enclosure, per cubic yard 0 8 0
Plants, shrubs, trees, as may be arranged.

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