Everton Necropolis

[Dovedale]

I'm looking for the grave of someone who was buried in 1886 in what was described as "Everton Necropolis (Low Hill Cemetery)".

I think it's all gone now. Was the cemetery the area now called Grant Gardens at the bottom of West Derby Road? That doesn't seem very big.

Does anyone know where the gravestones went from the cemetery? And were the graves just grassed over, or even built on?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. :)

[phredd]

Dovedale,

I can not help with a location but this link may help you find what you are looking for >>>>>>

http://www.eden.co.uk/churches/liverpool/index.html

That lists all the churches in Liverpool I think.

Good luck with your quest.

Phredd

[Ged]

Hello Dovedale. Take a look here: http://www.thescousehouse.net/index.php?showtopic=10306

[Dovedale]

That's a good link, but the I don't think the Necropolis was a church, just a cemetery.

[robbo176]

I have a disc of burials in the Necropolis but unfortunatly its only for the years 1825 -1827

[Dovedale]

Thanks Ged, that's really helpful.

[Dovedale]

Thanks Robbo.

I know when the person I'm looking for was buried and in which plot in the cemetery, but I'd love to find his gravestone.

[Dovedale]

I now know that the Necropolis is the same piece of land that's now Grant Gardens. Thanks for the help in that.

Does anyone know what happened to the remains buried there - one site says they were moved - and where the headstones from the graves might be?

[Ged]

The first posting on the scousehouse thread though says that the bodies are still buried beneath?

[Paul D]

I know there was talk of having to move remains from under a park around that area when they were thinking of laying tram lines or something.

[Ged]

Grant Gardens as it is now, is nowhere near as big as the cemetery was so I suspect some bodies would have had to be removed when those houses were built between the water tower and the gardens. The Liverpool records office have cemetery details so they might be worth a visit.

[TonyS]

.

[PhilipG]

The Necropolis (Cemetery) opened 1825, at Low Hill, Liverpool. Architect: John Foster Jr. Cost near £8,000.
Closed to any more burials in 1898.
Grant Gardens (ex Necropolis). Opened by Alderman J R Grant in 1914.

Grant Gardens is the same size as The Necropolis was, and I assume the remains of the bodies are still there.
There would only have been a reason to remove them if the site was going to be built over.

[Dovedale]

Yes, it seems that Grant Gardens is exactly the same plot of land as the Necropolis, ending at Mill Road. The long straight path down the middle still feels more like a cemetery than a park.

Thanks for your comments. I'd just like to track down the headstones now, if they still exist. The one I'm looking for is solid marble, so I suspect it got recycled. :)

[Ged]

You can see that big long path in the middle of the cemetery plan above. I'm surprised that the gardens are the same size as the back wall seems pretty much closer than I thought it would but you're right.

[lindylou]

Everton Necropolis. Here are some old photos, the first one taken in 1912 - you can see the gravestones. The second was taken 1914 and it looks like it was made into a park then (Grants gardens)

If you look closely you can see the Everton water tower in the background.

I knew I had some pics tucked away somewhere. I found these in the web-site 'Port Cities'

[taffy]

Yes, it seems that Grant Gardens is exactly the same plot of land as the Necropolis, ending at Mill Road. The long straight path down the middle still feels more like a cemetery than a park.

Thanks for your comments. I'd just like to track down the headstones now, if they still exist. The one I'm looking for is solid marble, so I suspect it got recycled. :)

I believe all the gravestones were transcribed before they were removed. Check with the Liverpool Record Office. The cemetery was designed for use by people from the Non Conformist branches of the Christian faith.

[PhilipG]

Nice photos, Lindy.
The second one was taken from the roof of the Royal Hippodrome.

[wsteve55]

Yes, it seems that Grant Gardens is exactly the same plot of land as the Necropolis, ending at Mill Road. The long straight path down the middle still feels more like a cemetery than a park.

Thanks for your comments. I'd just like to track down the headstones now, if they still exist. The one I'm looking for is solid marble, so I suspect it got recycled. :)

I read fairly recently,in the "ECHO", that when they were checking out the route for the proposed tram service, there was some reason to excavate various parts of this,and when this was done in the vicinity of Grant garden's, they found human remains,so it doesn't sound like the bodies/coffins were moved! As this was only a year,or so,ago,I would imagine the city council would have some more up to date info', on anything concerning the area, because of this? It's possible the stones were moved somewhere else,but would anyone know where!

[marky]

I wonder what happens to all the gravestones from around Liverpool...for example all the recent ones knocked over by the Council etc.

Information about the failed Tram system can be found here:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/twa/ir/merseytramliverpoolcitycentr5652

Here's an extract:
7.127 The corner of Grant Gardens to be acquired (paragraph 4.108) was used as a graveyard between 1825 and 1898. There is accordingly the potential for human remains to be encountered during the construction works. This is now addressed in Article 27A of the draft Order. The Article is in all relevant respects in identical terms to provisions in earlier light rail Private Acts and TWA Orders.

[DaisyChains]

I wonder what happens to all the gravestones from around Liverpool...for example all the recent ones knocked over by the Council etc.



I have often wondered this

[PhilipG]

It's a good question.
The ones flattened by the Council, have been deemed unsafe, but are left near the graves.
St James Cemetery (the Cathedral) has them all stood around the perimeter of the site.
I don't know what happens to the ones that are removed.
Hopefully, all the inscriptions have been recorded.

[taffy]

I notice that at least some of the Necropolis gravestone inscriptions were transcribed by James Gibson in the 19th C. These transcriptions are available at the Liverpool Record Office and have recently been issued on CD by the Liverpool and SW Lancashire Family History Society

http://www.liverpool-genealogy.org.uk/

[joan bradshaw]

looking for info on acacia house in 1930 1940 thanks joan

[Partsky]

Hanging around Crosby Library last night awaiting the lad coming out of youth club and found a great little book which has info re necropolis. Its called "A History of Liverpool Parks" by Colin Twist on Hobby Publications. Provides a wider map than the one originally posted and that map also shows the Zoo Gardens mentioned in another post. It says that prior to being closed there was an outcry in 1857 when it was found that bodies already buried were being put into common pits to allow further burials. There was an inquiry but nobody was prosecuted. Could not photocopy map as got thrown out as it was closing

[marky]

Grant Gardens Feb. 2008

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee262/south_liverpool/Grant_Gardens_gate_pillars.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee262/south_liverpool/Grant_Gardens_long_path.jpg

[christy]

I've a feeling that the bodies were left there because there was a delay, which eventually led to abandonment of the extension of the dual carriageway that is West Derby road until Farnworth street. The delay was supposedly because of problems with a road crossing 'consecrated ground' on the corner of Grant gardens from what I remember but it makes more sense if they had not cleared the site - no reason I suppose if it was only to become a park.
Shame they demolished all the buildings on West Derby road before they abandoned the scheme.
Shame that the necroplis is no more, very like the cemetaries you see in Paris with the high wall around and the Greek buildings and details

[Samp]

looking for info on acacia house in 1930 1940 thanks joan


Acacia House was at the top of Everton brow, corner of Netherfield Rd, opposite the old Everton lockup. I believe it was a popular dance venue during the years mentioned.

[Samp]

looking for info on acacia house in 1930 1940 thanks joan
Joan I may have given you the wrong location for Accia House. The location I gave you is called Acre House on an old Liverpool map, but I always thought it was called Accia House. I will try and look it up next time I am in the library.

[Samp]

looking for info on acacia house in 1930 1940 thanks joan

Joan, I was right the first time. Acacia house was at the top of Everton Brow.

On a 1906 map it was called White Rock Home for Orphans and Destitute Children. Hope this helps your enquiry.

[ThePenkethPedant]

This topic is revived on another thread. Thanks everyone for the info.