Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

Hi All,

Just a long shot really, but I wonder if anyone know's where I can get hold of a plan showing grave locations or at least area locations of St James's Cemetery (the one adjacent to the Cathedral). I've tried all the places I would normally look including the excellant site at http://www.stjamescemetery.co.uk/ without any success, I've even tried Liverpool Council Cemeteries Dept, who either can't or won't help!

Regards,

Roy

I don't think you will be able to get a detailed map but there is a diagram on the website below you will need to enlarge the image to see it properly:-

http://www.hilaryburrage.name/hilary_bu ... rpool.html


Blue

I have received plans showing exact locations of graves in other cemeteries, from the Council Cemeteries Department, so I would think that if they are unable to provide you with similar then they probably don't have them available, sorry.

In St James Cemetery records although they are in poor condition they do have the graves listed giving who else is interred in the grave. They are under 352 CEM 3 I cant off hand think if there is a map, you would have to look at the holdings list for that cemetery.

Hi All,

Thanks for your replies and suggestions. I wrote to a Gentleman called Mike Faulkner from 'Friends of St James's' who has got back to me to say altough he's never seen it personally, he's reliably informed that there is a plan of the Cemetery at Liverpool R.O. which seems to support Katie's theory. Next time I go to the R.O. I'll check it out and let you all know if there is such a plan/map for future reference,

regards,

Roy

Hi,

Just as a follow up to my previous posting, a Robin Riley of 'Friends of St James's' phoned me today and informed me that as far as he is aware the only record of grave locations and records of headstones etc is recorded by hand in a couple of note books which are currently held by Liverpool R.O. He has actually seen them so they are genuine.

The other thing of interest I've found is that the Cemetery was designed and built along the lines of Pere-la-Chaise, Paris France and since it opened in 1829 there have been in excess of 57,700 burials in the Cemetery which closed in 1936. In the late 1960's early 1970's it was decided to turn the cemetery into a public park and as a result all the headstones were removed by 1972. Approx 1000 have been put back but not necessarily on the correct graves!

So, it looks like it's going to be impossible without access to the handwritten note books to get sight of the headstones and grave locations. I'll make some enquiries at the R.O about the note books next time I go, or perhaps some kind soul can ask if they go before me?

Here endeth the history lesson!!

regards,

Roy

It's a lovely cemetery and the website is excellent too, and if you choose the link "Walk Through" it allows you to stroll through and see the layout of the stones, many of which were lined up along the walls. I can imagine it would be very difficult for a register to have been kept of which stones were moved from one place to another.

I imagine the books would be at the Sandhills temporary archives part and you would have to make an appointment to visit. Their email is on the Forum somewhere under Liverpool Record Office closure.

Hilary
Ed Officer