Waikumete Cemetery
| Waikumete Cemetery | |
|---|---|
 Waikumete Cemetery in March 2014 | |
 | |
| Details | |
| Established | 1886 |
| Location | |
| Country | New Zealand |
Waikumete Cemetery, originally Waikomiti Cemetery,[1] is New Zealand's largest cemetery. It occupies a site of 108 hectares in Glen Eden, Auckland, and also contains a crematorium in the south-west corner of the cemetery.
Description
Waikumete Cemetery was established in 1886 and is the final resting place for over 70,000 people.[2] Its location was decided by the proximity of the nearby Glen Eden railway station, as access by railway was desired.[1] The Chapel of Faith in the Oaks was built in 1886 as a mortuary chapel and was used until the larger chapel was built in 1952. It is available for hire for religious services.
Waikumete is home to a number of prominent memorials, including the Erebus Memorial, a Holocaust Memorial, a New Zealand Influenza Epidemic memorial and an ANZAC Cenotaph.
War graves
Two extensive areas of the cemetery were allocated for the burial of service personnel of the World Wars and post-war veterans. In total, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission register and maintain the graves of 285 Commonwealth service personnel at the cemetery, 110 from World War I and 176 from World War II.[3]
In the entrance to the cemetery the Commisson erected the Auckland Provincial Memorial, commemorating the 56 service personnel from the Auckland Province who died serving in and around New Zealand in both World Wars but have no known grave.[3]
The Commission also commemorate 44 World War II service personnel who were cremated at Waikumete Crematorium. In 1999, a memorial to seven personnel whose ashes were formerly stored in the chapel building was placed on the site of their final resting place in the chapel lawn.[4]
Burials
Some of the notable people buried at the cemetery include:
- Albert Asher (1879–1965), rugby union and rugby league footballer
- Barry Butterworth (1939–1993), NZ speedway driver
- Angela D'Audney (1944–2002), Television New Zealand news anchor
- Father Felix Donnelly QSM ONZM, priest, broadcaster, Youthline founder
- Cameron Duncan (1986–2003), writer and director, inspiration for Into the West
- Assid Corban (1925–2018), the first Mayor of Waitakere City and winemaker[5]
- James Crichton (1879–1961), recipient of the Victoria Cross[6]
- Pauly Fuemana (1969–2010), lead singer of OMC
- John Gildroy Grant (1889–1970), recipient of the Victoria Cross[7]
- Richard Alexander Henderson (1895–1958)
- Paul Hewson (1953–1985), songwriter and keyboard player in NZ band Dragon
- Reginald Judson (1881–1972) recipient of the Victoria Cross, Distinguished Conduct Medal and the Military Medal[8]
- Bruce McLaren (1937–1970), race-car designer, driver, engineer and inventor
- Don Oliver MBE (1937–1996), weightlifter and fitness centre founder
- Tuna Scanlan (1934–2014), boxer
- Maurice Shadbolt CBE (1932–2004), writer and playwright
- Samuel Shrimski (1828–1902), politician from Oamaru[9]
See also
Notes
- ^ a b "Glen Eden Railway Station". New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero. Heritage New Zealand. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
- ^ "Waikumete Cemetery Background, Auckland City Council".
- ^ a b "AUCKLAND (WAIKUMETE) CEMETERY". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
- ^ "AUCKLAND (WAIKUMETE) CREMATORIUM". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
- ^ "Giant of wine making and local politics remembered in emotional and poignant farewell". Stuff.co.nz. 25 September 2018. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
- ^ Harper & Richardson 2007, p. 174.
- ^ Harper & Richardson 2007, p. 171.
- ^ Harper & Richardson 2007, pp. 168–169.
- ^ "Death of the Hon Shrimski". Auckland Star. Vol. XXXIII, no. 149. 25 June 1902. p. 2. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
References
- Harper, Glyn; Richardson, Colin (2007). In the Face of the Enemy: The Complete History of the Victoria Cross and New Zealand. Auckland, New Zealand: HarperCollins Publishers (New Zealand) Limited. ISBN 1869506502.
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External links
- Waikumete Cemetery Auckland City Council website
- Tales From The Crypt, Matthew Gray's Historical Column on Waikumete Cemetery Graves