Mortlake Cemetery facts for kids
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| Details | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1926 |
| Location |
Clifford Avenue and Lower Mortlake Road, Kew, London
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| Type | Active |
| Owned by | Hammersmith and Fulham Council |
Mortlake Cemetery is a burial ground located in Kew, which is part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is also known as Hammersmith New Cemetery. This name came about because it provided new burial spaces for the area of Hammersmith. The older Margravine Cemetery had become full.
The cemetery first opened in 1926 and is still used today. It is looked after by the Hammersmith and Fulham Council. You can find the cemetery on Mortlake Road, which is also known as the A205 or South Circular Road. It is right across from North Sheen Cemetery. The closest train station is Kew Gardens.
War Graves and Memorials
This cemetery holds the graves of 109 service members from World War II. These graves are looked after by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Many of these brave people are buried in family graves. Others are in a special area in the south-eastern part of the cemetery.
In this special area, many people are buried together in shared graves. This was done because there was not much space. The names of those buried here are listed on a memorial built by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. This memorial also lists service members from the same war who were cremated at Mortlake Crematorium.
Mortlake Crematorium
Mortlake Crematorium was built right next to the cemetery in 1939. A crematorium is a place where bodies are cremated (turned into ashes).
There is a special memorial wall in the cemetery for 77 service members from the Commonwealth. These individuals served in World War II and were cremated at the crematorium. The memorial was put up by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. One person listed on this memorial is Vivian Davies (1899–1941). He was a captain in the Royal Artillery and also played rugby for the England team. This memorial is considered an important historical structure. It is officially listed as Grade II by Historic England.
Notable People Buried Here
Many interesting people are buried at Mortlake Cemetery. Here are a few:
- Woman Police Constable Jane Philippa Arbuthnot (died 1983): She was a police officer. She was one of three police officers who sadly died in a car bomb explosion. This happened outside the Harrods department store in central London in December 1983.
- James Collins (died 1934): He was an important public servant from Australia. He was the Secretary of the Australian Government's Department of the Treasury. His signature appeared on Australia's banknotes from 1910 to 1926.
- Arthur Haynes (died 1966): He was a well-known TV comedian.
- Carol White (died 1991): She was an actress. She was famous for her role in the 1966 British television play Cathy Come Home.
