St John's Cemetery, Parramatta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St John's Cemetery, Parramatta |
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| Location | 1 O'Connell Street, Parramatta, City of Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1790– |
| Official name: St. John's Anglican Cemetery; First Fleet Cemetery; Saint Johns Cemetery; St Johns Cemetery | |
| Type | State heritage (complex / group) |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 49 |
| Type | Cemetery/Graveyard/Burial Ground |
| Category | Cemeteries and Burial Sites |
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St John's Cemetery, Parramatta, also known as St John's Anglican Cemetery, is a very old and important burial ground in Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia. It is located at 1 O'Connell Street.
This cemetery is super special because it started in 1790. It was a place where people from all different religions could be buried. This makes it the oldest European cemetery still existing in Australia! Many important early settlers are buried here. This includes over 50 people who arrived on the First Fleet. Famous people like Reverend Samuel Marsden and his wife Elizabeth, and land owner D'Arcy Wentworth are also here. Other notable figures include the Blaxland family, Charles Fraser (a botanist), and David Lennox (a bridge builder).
Later, in the mid-1800s, other cemeteries were built for different religions. After that, St John's became a burial ground just for the Anglican Church. Because of its long history and importance, the cemetery was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. This means it's protected as a special historical site.
Contents
Exploring the History of St John's Cemetery
Before European Settlers Arrived
Long before Europeans came, the land around the Parramatta River was home to Indigenous people. These groups were part of the Darug Nation. The specific clan living near what is now Parramatta was called the Burramattagal clan. This area was a great place to live. It had lots of fresh water, many plants and animals, and a mild climate.
European settlers arrived in Parramatta on 2 November 1788. Governor Phillip brought convicts and soldiers to grow food for the new colony. On 2 June 1791, Governor Phillip named the settlement Parramatta. This name came from the Barrumatta clan, meaning "head of a river." Sadly, European diseases like smallpox greatly affected the Barrumattagal clan. By 1830, it's believed there were no survivors of this clan.
How the Cemetery Began
The area where St John's Cemetery now stands was once an old animal paddock. It became a general burial ground in 1790. The very first person buried here was a convict's child named James Magee, on 31 January 1790.
On 28 January 1791, Henry Edward Dodd was buried here. He was Governor Phillip's manservant and gardener. His grave is very important because it's Australia's oldest surviving grave with its original headstone still in place. It was also the site of the first public funeral in the colony.
The St. John's Cemetery Project
The St. John's Cemetery Project is an amazing online database. It helps people learn about those buried in the cemetery between 1790 and 1850. This project started in July 2015. It has received funding from groups like the Royal Australian Historical Society and the City of Parramatta Council.
The project includes detailed life stories, called biographies, of many "Old Parramattans." These stories are written by historians. They tell about the lives of First Peoples, like Dicky Bennelong (also known as Thomas Walker Coke). He was a Darug man who might be buried here in an unmarked grave. The project also shares stories of people from the First, Second, and Third Fleets. You can read about women, children, important colonial figures, and even early crime victims.
Famous People Buried Here
Many interesting people are buried at St John's Cemetery.
- David Lennox: He was a master stonemason. He built many important bridges in early New South Wales.
First Fleeters at St John's
More than 50 people who arrived on the First Fleet are buried in this cemetery. Most of their graves do not have headstones. The "St. John's First Fleeters" collection on the project website shares stories about some of them.
- Thomas Freeman: He was one of the First Fleeters featured in the project.
Friends of St. John's Cemetery
A community group called "Friends of St. John's Cemetery, Parramatta" was formed on 25 June 2016. Their goal is to help look after the cemetery. They work to raise money and hope to get the cemetery listed as a National Heritage site. This would give it even more protection.
What the Cemetery Looks Like
The cemetery is on O'Connell Street, which is its only entrance. It has a tall wall, about 3 meters high, made of bricks built by convicts in the 1820s.
At the entrance, there's a special covered gate called a lych gate. The cemetery ground is mostly grass. There are only a few trees. Three tall, thin conifers (like cypress trees) stand near the main path. A large jacaranda tree and a bottlebrush tree are also on the south side.
The graves are set out in rough sections with a main path and smaller paths crossing it. You can see many different types of grave markers here. Some are very grand monuments, while others are simple headstones. Some of the fancy monuments still have their original fences around them.
The cemetery is in pretty good shape overall. However, some of the older monuments are quite worn down. The site is also believed to have a lot of archaeological potential. This means there might be many interesting historical items buried underground.
Why St John's Cemetery is a Heritage Site
St John's Anglican Cemetery was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. This means it's recognized as a very important historical place. It meets several special requirements:
- It shows how history unfolded in New South Wales.
This cemetery is important because it tells us about the past. It shows how early towns grew and how people lived.
- It has beautiful design or shows great skill.
The cemetery is also important for its look and the way it was built.
- It is important to a community or cultural group.
Many people feel a strong connection to this place. It holds special meaning for them because of its history and the people buried there.
- It can teach us more about history.
The cemetery has the potential to reveal even more information about the cultural and natural history of New South Wales.
