Pearce Family Cemetery facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pearce Family Cemetery |
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Graves in Pearce Family Cemetery
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| Location | Seven Hills Road, Bella Vista, The Hills Shire, New South Wales, Australia |
| Owner | Estate of the late M. W. Pearce |
| Official name: Pearce Family Cemetery; Pearce Cemetery | |
| Type | State heritage (complex / group) |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 593 |
| Type | Cemetery/Graveyard/Burial Ground |
| Category | Cemeteries and Burial Sites |
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The Pearce Family Cemetery is a special old burial ground in Bella Vista, New South Wales, Australia. It used to be part of a farm. This cemetery is important because it's listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register. This means it's a protected place due to its history. It is also known as the Pearce Cemetery. The land is still owned by the Pearce family.
Contents
A Look Back: The History of Pearce Cemetery
How the Land Became a Cemetery
The land where the cemetery is located was once part of two different land grants. A "land grant" was a piece of land given by the government. The first grant was given to Matthew Pearce in 1795. The second, larger part, was given to Matthew Woodward Pearce in 1835.
Matthew Pearce was a free settler. He arrived in Australia in 1794 on a ship called the Surprize. He was given land and named his property King's Langley. A nearby suburb still uses this name today. Matthew Pearce was a well-known landowner in the area.
Who Owned the Land Over Time?
The ownership of the land stayed within the Pearce family. When Matthew Pearce passed away in 1831, his land went to his wife, Martha. After her, it was passed to his two sons, Matthew Woodward Pearce and William Thomas Pearce.
Later, in 1838, the land around the cemetery went to William Thomas Pearce. He left it to his wife, Eliza, and then to their youngest son, Phillip Augustus Pearce.
In the early 1900s, Phillip Augustus Pearce took steps to officially register the land. The cemetery part was specifically left out of this new registration. This means the cemetery has always been a special, separate piece of land. Phillip Augustus Pearce passed away in 1919. Records show he was buried in the family cemetery, but his grave marker is no longer visible.
Protecting the Cemetery
In the 1980s, there were plans that might have affected the cemetery land. However, the local council decided to protect it. In 1985, a Permanent Conservation Order was placed on the cemetery. This order helps make sure the cemetery is preserved for the future.
Who is Buried Here?
Many members of the Pearce family are buried in this cemetery. The original pioneers, Matthew Pearce (who died in 1831) and his wife Martha (who died in 1843), have grave markers here.
It's not exactly clear when the very first burial happened. However, there are markers for three of Matthew Woodward Pearce's children who died in the 1840s and 1850s. The first official record of a burial here is from December 1888. This was for Henrietta Fletcher, who was William Thomas Pearce's daughter.
The Pearce family has owned this land for over 200 years.
What the Pearce Family Cemetery Looks Like
The Pearce Family Cemetery is on a small hill. It's surrounded by open fields. It's a small cemetery, about 464.5 square metres (5,000 sq ft) in size.
There aren't many traditional cemetery trees here. There's a large conifer tree outside the fence and three more inside. You can also see two Jacaranda trees and a few other native trees.
Fences and Gates
A wooden post and rail fence goes all the way around the cemetery. The current fence and the iron gate are not the original ones. The posts next to the gate and the gate itself are painted.
Grave Markers and Features
The most important feature in the cemetery is a large family vault. A "vault" is an underground burial chamber. This vault has a stone sarcophagus on top. It's dedicated to Pearce family members who passed away in the 1870s. Next to it is a granite obelisk, which is a tall, narrow stone pillar. This obelisk is for members of the Archdall family.
People wonder if some bodies or headstones were moved here from another cemetery. The vault is quite large, big enough to hold about twenty coffins. It's about 10 by 4 metres (33 ft × 13 ft). There are three brick-edged rectangles on one side of the vault. These mark the entrances to the vault.
Most of the other graves, plaques, and headstones are placed along the fences. Many are simple upright sandstone slabs. Some have concrete on top. There are also some granite headstones on sandstone bases. You can find one headstone shaped like an open book and another white marble one with carved flowers. It seems there are more burials in the cemetery than there are markers.
Condition of the Cemetery
As of 1999, the cemetery was in fair condition. Some monuments have naturally worn down, and there has been some vandalism. However, the Pearce family, who are the trustees, have done a good job of maintaining it.
Repairs and Changes
In the 1990s, repairs were made to the graves. Stolen gates and fencing were also replaced.
Why Pearce Family Cemetery is Important
The Pearce Family Cemetery is important because it's a small family burial ground. It holds the remains of Matthew Pearce, who was the very first settler in the area. It also contains the graves of many of his family members.
The cemetery shows the strong connection the Pearce family had to this land. They also owned the nearby Bella Vista Farm. The cemetery's location near the Old Windsor Road shows how important this road was for people to travel and trade. The cemetery also highlights how important the Pearce family was in the early colony. They chose to show their family history and their connection to the land in a very public way.
The Pearce Family Cemetery was officially added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.
