A BRIEF HISTORY OF WESTON MILL CEMETERY

The cemetery was originally known as Devonport Borough Cemetery.

Land

At a meeting of the burial sub-committee of the Devonport Corporation on 4 October 1898 it was agreed to purchase 52 acres of land from Mr Edward St Aubyn for use as a cemetery. The price eventually agreed was £25,000.

The land was bounded on the north side by Weston Mill Lake, on the south by the Borough boundary, to the east by Old Saltash Road and to the west by the London and South Western railway line.

The Town Clerks report of 2 October 1899 records that the cemetery was to be established under the Public Health (Interments) Act 1848.

The foundation stone of the chapel was laid on 16 June 1903 and a plan was drawn up on 26 January 1904 to establish:

• Consecrated graves - 4971
• Roman Catholic graves - 522
• General graves - 10,564

An advertisement was placed on 16 July 1904 for the post of Cemetery Supervisor: “Man required under 40 years of age. House provided. Salary £80 per annum."

A service to consecrate the Church of England portion of the cemetery was held during a heavy snowstorm on 22 November 1904. The service was led by the Bishop of Exeter.

First burial

The first burial took place on 24 November 1904 and it is interesting to note that of the first 100 burials in the cemetery, 47 were of children under five years old. To the present date over 54,000 burials have taken place in the cemetery.

Garden of remembrance

The garden of remembrance at the lower part of the cemetery was created in 1949 in stone from the Municipal buildings which were destroyed in 1941. The cemetery chapel was converted to include cremation facilities in 1967.

Baby garden

The baby garden is a burial area which was formally set aside as a memorial garden in 1984 and improvements were made to the garden in 2003. The garden was specially designed to provide families with a place where they can find peace and tranquillity for moments of quiet reflection.

A tree has been planted near the chapel to commemorate the centenary of the cemetery. A plaque to record the event was placed by Councillor George Wheeler on 30 November 2004.