Woolwich Cemetery Explained

Woolwich Cemetery
Established:1856
Location:Kings Highway, Plumstead, Royal Borough of Greenwich
Country:England
Coordinates:51.476°N 0.099°W
Type:Public
Owner:Royal Borough of Greenwich
Size:12acres

Woolwich Cemetery is a cemetery in southeast London, situated south-east of Woolwich, in Kings Highway, Plumstead,[1] on land that was formerly part of Plumstead Common. The first cemetery, which is sometimes referred to as the Woolwich Old Cemetery, was opened in 1856 by the Woolwich Burial Board and the 12-acre site was almost full within 30 years; in 1885, a new cemetery was established on adjacent land to the east. The latter site is still in use, and contains graves of those who died in explosions at the Royal Arsenal,[2] plus a World War I memorial with the names of 14 casualties; in total the cemetery has 96 World War I and 81 World War II Commonwealth war graves.[3] [4]

The cemetery has been used as a film location for The Krays (1990) and Harry Brown (2009).[5]

Memorials

See main article: article and SS Princess Alice (1865). Woolwich Old Cemetery was the burial place for 120 people lost in the Princess Alice disaster on the River Thames on 3 September 1878 when the pleasure steamer was struck by the collier steamer Bywell Castle. A commemorative cross was erected by a national sixpenny subscription to which over 23,000 people contributed.

Other notable burials include:

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Directory: Cemeteries and crematorium: Woolwich Cemetery. Royal Borough of Greenwich. 14 March 2016.
  2. Web site: Woolwich Cemetery (Old and New). London Gardens Online. 14 March 2016.
  3. Web site: Nearly 80,000 Woolwich records complete Royal Greenwich database. Deceased Online. 14 March 2016.
  4. Web site: Woolwich Cemetery. Commonwealth War Graves Commission. 14 March 2016.
  5. Web site: Credits. Film Greenwich. 14 March 2016.
  6. Web site: Trumpeter Thomas Monaghan's old regiment, 1st, The Queen's Dragoon Guards, have purchased and refurbished his grave and headstone in Woolwich Cemetery, South East London (1 May 2008). VictoriaCross.org. 14 March 2016.
  7. Web site: VC Recipients – T. VictoriaCross.co.uk. 14 March 2016.