Memorial Park Cemetery also known as Pioneer Cemetery and Old Albany Cemetery is a

cemetery A cemetery, burial ground, gravesite or graveyard is a place where the remains of dead people are buried or otherwise interred. The word ''cemetery'' (from Greek , "sleeping place") implies that the land is specifically designated as a buri ...

located along Middleton Road in the city of Albany in the Great Southern region of

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

. It was constructed in 1836 and is the first

consecrated Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service. The word ''consecration'' literally means "association with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different grou ...

cemetery in Western Australia, gazetted in 1840 as a public burial ground to provide for the needs of a growing community. It was closed as a public cemetery in 1959, with a few burials being held there until 2000 and ashes placed there until 2009. Most burials now being held at Allambie Park Cemetery. It is thought to be the longest serving public cemetery in Western Australia. The hillside cemetery occupies an area of approximately and is divided into demoninational sections containing a total of approximately 5,000 graves. It is composed of two parts, the upper cemetery and the lower cemetery, separated by Middleton Road. Easily accessed by pedestrians the site has a number of mature native and exotic trees and a range of diversity, style and age of memorials and grave fittings on the plots. Classified by the

National Trust The National Trust, formally the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, is a charity and membership organisation for heritage conservation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, there is a separate and ...

in 2000, the cemetery was listed on the permanent register of the

Heritage Council of Western Australia The Heritage Council of Western Australia is the Government of Western Australia agency created to identify, conserve and promote places of cultural heritage significance in the state. Prior to its creation, considerable variance in policy and ...

in 2003.

Notable burials

Francis Bird Francis Bird (1667–1731) was one of the leading English sculptors of his time. He is mainly remembered for sculptures in Westminster Abbey and St Paul's Cathedral. He carved a tomb for the dramatist William Congreve in Westminster Abbey and s ...

* Henry Camfield *

John Wollaston John Wollaston may refer to: * John Wollaston (priest) (1791–1856), Anglican clergyman and settler in Western Australia * John Wollaston (painter) John Wollaston (active between 1742 and 1775) was an English painter of portraits who was acti ...

Alexander Collie Dr Alexander Collie (2 June 1793 – 8 November 1835) was a Scottish surgeon and botanist who journeyed to Western Australia in 1829, where he was an explorer and Colonial Surgeon. Early life Collie was born in Insch in Aberdeenshire, Scotland ...

* Alexander Cockburn-Campbell *

Spencer family The Spencer family is an aristocratic family in the United Kingdom. From the 16th century, its members have held numerous titles including the dukedom of Marlborough, the earldoms of Sunderland and Spencer, and the Churchill barony. Two prom ...

* Hassell family *

William Grills Knight William Grills Knight (23 January 1839 3 May 1903) was a prominent businessman and politician who served as the Mayor of Albany in the Great Southern region of Western Australia. Knight was born 23 January 1839 in Fremantle, Western Australi ...

* Moir family *

Robert Andrew Muir Robert Andrew Muir (20 June 1821 18 August 1904) was a merchant and politician who served as the mayor of Albany, Western Australia. Muir was born in Fife, Scotland on 20 June 1821; his family emigrated to Western Australia when he was a young ...

References

{{reflist Heritage places in Albany, Western Australia Cemeteries in Western Australia Middleton Road, Albany 1836 establishments in Australia State Register of Heritage Places in the City of Albany

Notable burials

See also

References