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  1. #1
    A fountain of knowledge
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    Oct 2004
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    Essendon, Victoria, Australia
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    Default Riccarton Cemetery

    Hello folks,

    In September 1877 George Holmes was buried at Riccarton. The Rev C Bowen officiated, the service according to the rites of the Church of England.

    A few months later Holmes' son died in New York and was returned for burial in "the family vault".

    Googling around, I can see references to a Church Cemetery at Riccarton. Is that the only cemetery in Riccarton, or might there be a public cemetery as well?

    Has anyone indexed or photographed the graves at Riccarton?

    With thanks,

    Lenore

  2. #2
    Quentin
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    Hi Lenore - I am pretty sure that there is no public cemetery in Riccarton - but the Anglican church of St Peter's Riccarton has a graveyard. I believe my great grandmother was buried there, but I was informed by my aunt many years ago that the grave was moved or the stone itself was moved in order for the roads to be re-aligned. I know that a local historian has written details of many of the graves - will check it out and advise. Regards Quentin

  3. #3
    Quentin
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    Hi Lenore - if you go to https://christchurchcitylibraries.com...meteries/Upper Riccarton - or type "St Peters Church Upper Riccarton" into your search engine - you will find many inscriptions from the graves - mostly 'notables' - but you could be lucky.
    Cheers Quentin

  4. #4
    A fountain of knowledge
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    Oct 2004
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    Essendon, Victoria, Australia
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    Default

    Hi Quentin,

    (What, not watching the tennis!) Thank you for that information - it is very helpful to know that there is only the once cemetery to deal with, even if that cemetery has been got to by the "Tidy Towns" folk. I guess they were very hard to maintain. I had a look at the Cemetery tour on the Christchurch Library website, but lucked out there. The only Holmes mentioned I didn't know. I'm not doing any good with the googling of the church, so I suspect this is going to be the one that got away. However, I have had a lot of luck in other areas, and will be content.

    Best wishes,

    Lenore

  5. #5
    Quentin
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    Hi Lenore
    I noticed that George died in 1877 and his son in 1878 but was looking at an "In Memorium" for George's wife Louisa Margaret who died in 1892, and the "SNH" who placed the notice gave the son's death as 1888. It may have been a typo by the papers. They do not appear to have been buried elsewhere in the Christchurch cemeteries. I was reading about St Peters Church and graveyard, and apparently in the 1960's they removed all the stones etc and put them where (Presumably) they can be seen, and turned the whole place into a lawn cemetery, which did not please everyone because there were some very old graves surrounded by ironwork etc. But now I know when my great grandmother's stone was moved! You could find out further info if you wish to contact the Archivist at https://archives.anglicanlife.org.nz- not sure if the Ch'Ch Library is functioning again yet, but if you know someone in Ch'Ch who could have a look for you there in the church records - it is a mine of info! Baptismal, marriage and burial.
    Cheers Quentin

  6. #6
    A fountain of knowledge
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    Oct 2004
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    Essendon, Victoria, Australia
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    Default

    Hi Quentin,

    Thanks for that additional information. The 1888 date for the death of the son was indeed a typo. He died in January 1878 in New York, and they shipped the burial back to New Zealand for burial which occurred in mid 1878 - there are lots of references in Papers Past, though none had anything specific to say about where he was buried except to say it would be in the "family vault", which tends to make one think it was rather larger than the average grave. At least some iron railings, surely.

    I am planning a trip to Christchurch to do some research when the Archives Research Centre has re-opened (waiting patiently!) so I think I will put St Peter's Riccarton on the list, along with the Christchurch library.

    Louisa's probate was done in Wellington, which made me wonder if that is where she was living when she died. I can't find anything in the papers to say where she was, (I thought perhaps a cemetery index might help me out), and the death index doesn't say, but I've sent for the certificate, and hope to know fairly soon.

    Thanks for the Anglican archives link, I'll have a look at that.

    Best wishes,

    Lenore

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