Maitland Jewish Cemetery facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Maitland Jewish Cemetery |
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Headstones at Maitland Jewish Cemetery, 2010
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| Location | 112-114 Louth Park Road, South Maitland, City of Maitland, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1846–1934 |
| Owner | Maitland City Council |
| Official name: Maitland Jewish Cemetery | |
| Type | state heritage (archaeological-terrestrial) |
| Designated | 7 March 2014 |
| Reference no. | 1921 |
| Type | Cemetery/Graveyard/Burial Ground |
| Category | Cemeteries and Burial Sites |
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The Maitland Jewish Cemetery is a special old burial ground in South Maitland, Australia. It was used from 1846 until 1934. This historic place is now owned by the Maitland City Council. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on March 7, 2014. This means it's a very important site to protect.
Contents
A Look Back: History of the Cemetery
In the early 1800s, the area around the Hunter River in New South Wales began to grow. Maitland, then called Wallis Plains, became a busy town. It was a key place for trade between the region and Sydney. Many Jewish business people moved to Maitland. They brought their skills from Sydney and England. These settlers became important leaders in the growing community. They formed a strong Jewish community in the area.
People often use traditions to build a community. This helps them feel connected to a new place. The Jewish community in Maitland followed the Orthodox faith. They soon needed a special burial ground. This was so they could follow their religious customs for burying the dead. In 1846, they bought a piece of land for this purpose. It was located away from the town, as was their tradition. The first burial happened in 1849. It was for an 11-year-old girl named Jane Cohen. She had passed away during a scarlet fever outbreak.
As the Jewish community in the region grew, more people were buried at the cemetery. A small building was put on the site. Here, special prayers and rituals could happen before burials. This Jewish cemetery was rare north of Sydney. So, Jewish people from far away also came to be buried here.
The Jewish community was strong in the mid-to-late 1800s. They even built the Maitland Synagogue in 1879. But by 1898, the synagogue stopped being used for worship. This showed that the Jewish community in Maitland was getting smaller. As fewer Jewish people lived there, fewer burials happened at the cemetery. The last burial took place in 1934. After this, the cemetery was considered "full."
Over the years, the cemetery was sometimes neglected. The small building was removed. Floods sometimes covered the site. Plants and trees slowly grew wild. In recent years, people have become interested in this historic site again. The cemetery was officially recognized as sacred again in 1979. In 1992, the Maitland City Council took ownership. One last burial happened in 2010. After that, the cemetery was officially closed for new burials.
What the Cemetery Looks Like
The Jewish Cemetery is about 3 kilometers from the center of Maitland. You reach it by a narrow dirt path in a rural field. Following Jewish tradition, the cemetery was set up outside the main town. The graves face west, away from nearby homes.
A fence made of posts and wire surrounds the cemetery. This fence replaced an older wooden one. Inside, there are 53 burial spots. The graves are arranged in four rows. They are laid out in a north-south direction. The older graves are on the higher ground. Newer graves continue down the sloping area. A row of children's graves is along the northern edge.
Out of 53 grave sites, 46 headstones are still there. They are in different states of repair. Most of them date from 1849 to 1909. The words in Hebrew and English on them have faded over time. But the shape and decorations on the headstones show how important faith was. The monuments are mostly simple. This reflects the Jewish belief that "in death, all are equal."
How the Cemetery is Maintained
As of 2013, 46 out of 53 headstones were still standing. Many of the Hebrew and English words have faded from age and weather. Some headstones have fallen over. But recent work in 2013-2014 helped restore many of them.
The cemetery looks like a grassy field. This is because it's in a rural area. It gets regular care to keep the grass neat. The post and wire fence lets farm animals graze around the edges. This could cause some of the outer monuments to sink or fall. The current fence replaced an older wooden one. A new fence might be built in the future.
The cemetery has 46 headstones out of 53 burial sites. This makes it the most complete Jewish cemetery in New South Wales.
Why This Cemetery is Special
The Maitland Jewish Cemetery is very important to the history of New South Wales. It is the oldest and largest Jewish cemetery in the state. It has 53 burials, mostly from 1849 to 1909. With 46 headstones still there, it is the most complete Jewish cemetery in New South Wales.
Important Jewish settlers in the Maitland area started this cemetery in 1846. It served the Orthodox Jewish community of the Hunter Valley. It also served the wider Jewish community of New South Wales. The cemetery shows us a physical record of the Jewish community in the region. Its survival proves that people still care about this place.
There were only three dedicated Jewish cemeteries in New South Wales. The Maitland Jewish Cemetery is a rare example that still exists. It shows the traditions and customs of Jewish life and death. The cemetery's location, how the graves are placed, and the style of the monuments show how the community followed their faith. It highlights the importance of traditions when burying their loved ones.
This cemetery is important because it shows the history of New South Wales. It is the earliest and largest Jewish cemetery in the state. It played a big part in the growth of the Jewish community in the region. The way the cemetery is set up, and the design of the headstones, also show the traditions of the Orthodox Jewish faith.
The Maitland Jewish Cemetery is also connected to important Jewish settlers. In the mid-1800s, many wealthy Jewish business people lived in Maitland. They helped the region grow. The early creation of this cemetery and a synagogue shows how important these people were.
The cemetery also has a special look and feel. It is a small burial ground in a rural area. It shows the traditions of the Orthodox Jewish faith. The cemetery is hidden away. It has simple monuments. This shows the belief that "in death, all are equal." The layout and design of the monuments show a careful respect for Jewish traditions.
The Maitland Jewish Cemetery has social value for the Jewish community. It also connects to the wider Jewish community of New South Wales. Cemeteries show how communities deal with grief. This dedicated Jewish cemetery was used by people from Maitland and from far away.
The cemetery is a physical reminder of the Jewish community in the area. Its continued existence shows ongoing public interest. For example, the "Friends of the Maitland Jewish Cemetery" group helps maintain the site. They also share information about its history.
This cemetery can also help us learn more about history. It might reveal more about traditional Jewish burial practices in the mid-1800s. We can study the headstones, their designs, and symbols. This could give us more insight into how the Orthodox Jewish faith honored the dead. Cemeteries are also great for family history research. They provide clues about the social history of the Jewish faith in the Hunter Valley.
There might also be archaeological remains of the old cottage building. It was likely in the southwest corner. No official archaeological dig has happened yet.
The Maitland Jewish Cemetery is a rare site in New South Wales. Many cemeteries have Jewish sections. But only three dedicated Jewish cemeteries were ever built in NSW. These were Maitland (1846), Goulburn (1848), and Raphael's Ground in Lidcombe (1867). Today, only Maitland and Goulburn remain. Raphael's Ground was moved in 1970.
Maitland Jewish Cemetery is the largest and most complete of the two remaining Jewish cemeteries. It has 53 grave sites and 46 headstones. Goulburn has 35 burials and only 11 headstones. This makes the Maitland Jewish Cemetery very rare and important.
The cemetery is a good example of a small regional burial ground. It shows the traditional burial customs of a religious faith. The design of the monuments reflects how stonework was done in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The religious words on them show the traditional symbols of the Jewish faith.
