Old Balmain Cemetery

Old Balmain Cemetery

Four ancestors were buried in the Old Balmain Cemetery. It contained the remains of over 10,000 people by 1912 and so was closed to new burials. Unfortunately, the cemetery was converted into a public park in 1942 and all memorial stones were either moved (with the remains) or destroyed! Most of the burials remain under the park, now re-named Pioneers Memorial Park.

Ancestors resting here

The following four ancestors are buried in this cemetery.

• John House 1807-1875 and Mary Hooper 1808-1875
• John James Flowerdew 1846-1910 and Grace House 1845-1900

Memorials

The cemetery 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.

The Pioneers Memorial Park plaque is dedicated to the pioneers of Balmain who are still buried beneath

 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