Geelong Western Cemetery, Victoria

Cemetery Details

Location Minerva Road, Geelong West, Greater Geelong - Victoria, Australia
Co‑ordinates S38.13637, E144.33043
Description

The cemetery was originally established to service the burial needs of those living in the western part of Geelong, as well as the outlying areas of Fyansford, Batesford and those living and working on the Moorabool Viaduct. The first Sexton appointed was Mr. David Ricketts and the first burial took place on 12 January 1858.

The cemetery was known under various names during its history; New Cemetery, New General Cemetery, Herne Hill Cemetery, Newtown Cemetery.

In the 1850’s, Geelong West supported many of the poorer families of Geelong. Land was cheap and landowners could afford to erect mean dwellings and sell and rent them cheaply.

As many families could not afford burial costs, the cemetery had a regulation where a family could have one month to pay for the cost of a grave and burial and failing to do so by this time saw the grave revert to a public grave.

The land set aside for Roman Catholic burials was not greatly used during the early years as the land was un-consecrated.

For more information, see the link to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission page.

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Names

Showing 8 people of interest from cemetery

SELBY, Norman Leslie

Service number 3636
Private
58th Infantry Battalion
AIF WW1
Born 10 Mar 1895

FERGUSON, Lindsay Ronald

Service number Q141207
Lieutenant Colonel
Volunteer Defence Corps (SA)
Australian Military Forces (WW2)
Born 4 Jan 1899

BAKER, Cecil Clarence

Service number 5036
Wheeler Corporal
10th Australian Army Service Corps
AIF WW1
Born 12 Aug 1886

COOMBE, Jack

Service number VX57102
Private
2nd/2nd Pioneer Battalion
Australian Military Forces (WW2)
Born 19 Apr 1919

GRUNDELL, John William

Service number 3027
Sapper
5th Field Company Engineers
AIF WW1
Born 1893

ROYDHOUSE, Jack

Captain
28th Infantry Battalion
AIF WW1
Born 24 Sep 1892

THORN, Frederick Otto

Service number OFFICER
Captain
8th Light Horse Regiment
AIF WW1
Born 16 Jan 1875

KNIGHT, Edwin George

Service number 3422
Private
5th Divisional Train
AIF WW1
Born 19 Dec 1892