The British Cemetery of Funchal on the Portuguese island of Madeira contains three Commonwealth burials of the First World War and three from the Second World War, all seamen of the Royal or Merchant navies.

History

The British Cemetery dates its origin from 1770. Prior to this date, Madeiran law dictated that the mortal remains of those deceased who were not Roman Catholic by faith were to be buried at sea, thrown from the cliffs at Garajau; later, a statue of Christ, called Cristo Rei, was erected in remembrance of this. However, from 1772 onward, British interests in Madeira secured a burial ground, called the Nation´s Burial Ground, close to the original city walls of

Funchal Funchal () is the largest city, the municipal seat and the capital of Portugal's Autonomous Region of Madeira, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean. The city has a population of 105,795, making it the sixth largest city in Portugal. Because of its high ...

. The site of this earlier cemetery is taken up by a small public square and car showrooms today. All remains and headstones etc were moved in 1890 to an extensive adjoining plot, which incorporates a British military cemetery (dating from 1808) and chapel (1865 onwards). Although named the British Cemetery and administered by the Anglican church of the Holy Trinity (an example of early 19th-century Neo-Classical architecture) nearby, the cemetery holds graves of many nationalities, including a large number of German Protestants. There is free public access to the cemetery and limited public access to its archives. A weekly historical tour of the cemetery and church is available through Holy Trinity Church.

Notable interments

Paul Langerhans Paul Langerhans (25 July 1847 – 20 July 1888) was a German pathologist, physiologist and biologist, credited with the discovery of the cells that secrete insulin, named after him as the islets of Langerhans. Eponymous terms * Islets of Langerh ...

, discovered the

Islets of Langerhans The pancreatic islets or islets of Langerhans are the regions of the pancreas that contain its endocrine (hormone-producing) cells, discovered in 1869 by German pathological anatomist Paul Langerhans. The pancreatic islets constitute 1–2% of ...

in the

pancreas The pancreas is an organ of the digestive system and endocrine system of vertebrates. In humans, it is located in the abdomen behind the stomach and functions as a gland. The pancreas is a mixed or heterocrine gland, i.e. it has both an en ...

*Captain

Cecil Buckley __NOTOC__ Captain Cecil William Buckley VC (7 October 1828 – 7 December 1872) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Co ...

, the first to be gazetted with the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

, in 1875 *

George Oruigbiji Pepple George Oruigbiji Pepple, otherwise known as Perekule VII, (b. 1849 – d. 31 Oct 1888) ruled the Kingdom of Bonny, an independent trading state in the Niger Delta between 30 September 1866 and 14 December 1883, when he was deposed. After the Briti ...

, ruled the

Kingdom of Bonny The Kingdom of Bonny, otherwise known as Grand Bonny, is a traditional state based on the town of Bonny in Rivers State, Nigeria. In the pre-colonial period, it was an important slave trading port, later trading palm oil products. During the 19t ...

, now part of

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

*William Reid, founder of the Reid's Palace Hotel in Funchal *

Sara Forbes Bonetta Sara Forbes Bonetta, otherwise known as Sarah Forbes Bonetta, (born Aina or Ina; 1843 – 15 August 1880), was ward and goddaughter of Queen Victoria. She was believed to have been a titled member of the Egbado clan of the Yoruba people in West ...

, Nigerian princess and god-daughter of Queen VictoriaRegisters of Burials, Church Archives, Holy Trinity Church, Rua do Quebra Costas, Funchal, Madeira.

References

{{Reflist Cemeteries in Madeira Anglican cemeteries in Europe Anglican cemeteries in Africa British diaspora in Africa