General History of the Gisborne Cemetery

The word Cemetery from Latin and Greek roughly means “sleeping room”, a place of rest, peace and tranquillity. As you walk through the trail, please take in the surroundings. Thanks to the early Gisborne Pioneers, the cemetery, encircled by trees and foliage, remains a pleasant place to visit as if wrapped in its own little cocoon.

Records of the Public lands office dated 1858 outline the approval of the trustees of the Gisborne Cemetery on 30 September 1858, however the Parish map indicates the cemetery was gazetted in 1879.

In the mid-1800s in conjunction with the Minister of Lands and despite some confusion over adjoining title, the Cemetery was surveyed as it is today. Just over 13 acres (or 5.4 Hectares), mapped out showing denominations, sections and grave numbers. It was originally set in 4 areas of, Presbyterian, Catholic, Methodist and Episcopalian (Taking in Anglican). Each area divided into sections.

Today, we see the non-denominational areas like Lawns, Niche Wall and Memorial Gardens being more popular, and over the years, there are now over 3000 burials that have taken place, however this includes between 600 and 800 unmarked graves that exist throughout the cemetery. 200 graves have been identified within the OG (Old Ground) section and another 75 found in other general burial areas surrounded by the older known burials. Unfortunately the deceased details of these unmarked graves will forever remain unknown, and it is for this reason the previous Gisborne Cemetery Trust placed a memorial in the cemetery commemorating these unknown “Souls”.

Research indicates that people who committed suicide were not provided with a recorded burial site and were more likely buried in common ground. This was also applicable to many children. Given the practice up until 1980’s still births or recent neonatal deaths were often handled by the hospital and often parents did and still do not know where their children were buried. These graves were not given a headstone.

Aboriginal burial
An extract from the Bacchus Marsh Express in March 1867 indicated that a lot of human bones had been found by the sexton at the Gisborne Cemetery. The bones located at only three feet below the surface, were believed to be human and surrounded by aboriginal artefacts. The bones and artefacts were removed by the police and it is unknown where this person was reinterred.

In January 1858 an interesting letter from Reverend Cummins the Anglican Minister appeared in “The Gisborne Express” (a twice weekly paper that ran for a short time), advising the community of problems with burials at The Gisborne Cemetery. Although there was a cemetery and a Trust, there was no-one to allocate a grave, dig the grave, organise cost and accept payment.  He said two weeks earlier he arrived at the Cemetery at the same time as the Funeral Party. They had come 14 miles (in a horse and dray) and there were two bodies to be buried, but no grave had been dug, the Funeral Party thought he would have arranged it. He was embarrassed and mortified of this outcome. No wonder he was upset. Records show two brothers Robert and Henry Leedon aged 10 and 12 were buried, Christmas Day 1857. Just imagine what an awful situation. He spoke of the stress it caused, and begged for something to be done. His letter was acted on, two years and eight months later in September 1860, The Trust advertised for a Sexton. The advertisement read:

WANTED- A Sexton for the Gisborne Cemetery. The successful candidate for the office will have advantage of a comfortable house to reside in, together with a liberal salary, and among other privileges will be allowed to cut and sell the wood in the Cemetery for his own use. The candidate must not necessarily be an artist. Only accomplishments required being those of reading and writing, if he be an honest man so much the better. Apply to the Secretary of The Gisborne Cemetery.

Proposed Chapel (undated). Image supplied by E. Gardiner.

Charles Warren was appointed Sexton. He was a carpenter and had previously been doing general maintenance in the Cemetery. The advantage of a comfortable house was something of an overstatement. A plan had been done, however there was no house. Warren won the tender to build in workmanlike manner, a lodge 21ft x 13ft. Two rooms, separate kitchen and two chimneys. There is a sketch-showing it to look like a beautiful (period of the day) Chapel. Obviously someone couldn’t read the plan, because it finished up as a cottage. (The cottage was demolished in 1993).

Cemetery Cottage. Image Taken 1978. Image supplied by E. Gardiner.

By the mid-1860’s problems had started, some work was not done to specifications, work not completed, Fire and other damage to the lodge. Mr Warrens name then disappears from the records. Sacked or replaced? Records don’t say, but he certainly was not popular of the letters of complaint that were made. To put it into perspective, Gisborne Cemetery Trust had some issues with Mr Warren, however on the other side of the world, the American Civil War was raging. Perhaps things could have been worse here.

During the late 1860s-1870s things improved and much work was done in the cemetery. Records show an amazing number of ornamental trees and shrubs were planted. One invoice alone listing 1500 Osage Orange Trees. Orders came from the Melbourne Botanic Gardens and George Brunnings of Melbourne. Many plants also came from Smith’s Nursery of Riddell, who were very famous in their day. Their legacy to Riddell is The Walter J. Smith Reserve.

Smith’s Nursery of Riddell. Image supplied by the Gisborne & Mount Macedon Districts Historical Society. 

The Smith family grave is here in the Cemetery, no doubt they had much to do with the early plantings. It is reasonable to assume the older trees in the cemetery are from this period especially the oaks in the middle lawn area.

Despite droughts, setbacks, lack of funds and grasshopper plagues the grounds flourished, by 1879 the Cemetery was acknowledged as the best cared for in the colony. Those early decisions set the grounds up for what they are today, we are truly lucky to have the benefit of our pioneers’ vision from so long ago.