Birkenhead-Glenfield Cemetery

Birkenhead-Glenfield Cemetery is on the corner of Eskdale Rd and Glenfield Rd, Glenfield. It is open 365 days a year from 6am to 8pm during daylight savings, and from 6am to 6pm during winter. Interments may still be carried out in existing plots at the cemetery.

History

What is now known as Birkenhead-Glenfield Cemetery is made up of five areas: the Old Public Portion, the Public Lawn area, the RSA area, the Children's area and the Anglican Lawn area.

The earliest interments date back to 1880 and are in the Old Public Portion. In 1928 three acres, two roods and 3.7 perches (about 1.4ha) of Birkenhead Domain was set aside to add to the cemetery. Birkenhead Borough Council changed its name in 1947 to Glenfield Public Cemetery.

Interments of interest

An internment of interest is that of Henry James Hawkins and Elizabeth Bowler Hawkins. They died in 1902 and 1903 respectively, after coming from England in the 1850s to farm the clay slopes of Birkenhead. The Hawkins became leading fruitgrowers in the area.

James and Kate Caldwell, who died in 1893 and 1894 respectively, are also interred at the cemetery. Mr Caldwell arrived from Melbourne in 1883 and worked at the plumber on what was then the Colonial Sugar Refining Company, and became contractor in charge of the Refined Sugar Store in 1884. The Caldwell's had seven children and two of their sons later served Birkenhead as mayor and councillor.

View an aerial photograph of the Birkenhead/Glenfield Cemetery PDF (212 KB)