Mortuary chapel, Woolwich New Cemetery - geograph

Woolwich 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 ...

in southeast

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, situated south-east of

Woolwich Woolwich () is a district in southeast London, England, within the Royal Borough of Greenwich. The district's location on the River Thames led to its status as an important naval, military and industrial area; a role that was maintained throu ...

, in Kings Highway,

Plumstead Plumstead is an area in southeast London, within the Royal Borough of Greenwich, England. It is located east of Woolwich. History Until 1965, Plumstead was in the historic counties of England, historic county of Kent and the detail of mu ...

, on land that was formerly part of

Plumstead Common Plumstead Common is a common and urban park in Plumstead in the Royal Borough of Greenwich ( SE18), south-east London. It is part of the South East London Green Chain. Location and geology Plumstead Common is bound to the north by Old Mill Roa ...

. The first cemetery, which is sometimes referred to as the Woolwich Old Cemetery, was opened in 1856 by the Woolwich Burial Board and the 12-acre site was almost full within 30 years; in 1885, a new cemetery was established on adjacent land to the east. The latter site is still in use, and contains graves of those who died in explosions at the

Royal Arsenal The Royal Arsenal, Woolwich is an establishment on the south bank of the River Thames in Woolwich in south-east London, England, that was used for the manufacture of armaments and ammunition, proofing, and explosives research for the Britis ...

, plus a

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

memorial with the names of 14 casualties; in total the cemetery has 96 World War I and 81

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

Commonwealth war graves The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) is an intergovernmental organisation of six independent member states whose principal function is to mark, record and maintain the graves and places of commemoration of Commonwealth of Nations mi ...

. The cemetery has been used as a film location for '' The Krays'' (1990) and '' Harry Brown'' (2009).

Memorials

Woolwich Old Cemetery was the burial place for 120 people lost in the '' Princess Alice'' disaster on the

River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, se ...

on 3 September 1878 when the pleasure steamer was struck by the collier steamer ''Bywell Castle''. A commemorative cross was erected by a national sixpenny subscription to which over 23,000 people contributed. Other notable burials include: *

Hubert Bland Hubert Bland (3 January 1855 – 14 April 1914) was an English author and the husband of Edith Nesbit. He was known for being an infamous libertine, a journalist, an early English socialist, and one of the founders of the Fabian Society. Early ...

(1855–1914) – journalist, socialist and co-founder of the Fabians * Thomas Monaghan VC (1833–1895) * John Taylor VC (1822–1857)

References

External links

* {{coord, 51.4763, 0.0970, type:landmark_region:GB, display=title Cemeteries in London Parks and open spaces in the Royal Borough of Greenwich Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries in England