Memorial for John James and Grace Flowerdew

John James Flowerdew was born at Garden Lane in Great Yarmouth (Norfolk) on 20 September 1846 and died in Drummoyne NSW on 6 August 1910. Grace House was born at Drayton in Somersetshire on 12 August 1845 and died in Balmain North on 6 October 1900. They were married at St Andrews Cathedral in Sydney on 22 December 1870. They are buried in the Old Balmain Cemetery which was, unfortunately, completely demolished in 1942 despite the fact that it included the graves of famous Australians such as Edmund Blacket (architect), Mary Reiby (businesswoman) and Robert Towns (founder of Townsville). It is now Pioneers Memorial Park in Norton Street Leichhardt. The only thing left to memorialise those buried beneath are the gates and associated mini-wall that was built from re-used gravestones. This just goes to show that the disrespect of our heritage by many members of society is nothing new, having flourished even during World War Two.

Funeral notices for Grace House Flowerdew were published on 7 and 8 October 1900 in the Sunday Times (Sydney), Daily Telegraph and Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney). John James Flowerdew's death notice and funeral notice were published in the Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney) on 10 August 1910.

The Pioneers Memorial Park plaque is dedicated to the pioneers of Balmain who are still buried beneath, including John James Flowerdew and his wife Grace House

 Destruction of the heritage cemetery was sanctioned by the Council in 1941

The old headstones were useful for something - cheap building material for the walls and gate