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West Terrace Cemetery
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West Terrace Cemetery
The West Terrace Cemetery, formerly Adelaide Public Cemetery, is a cemetery in Adelaide, South Australia. It is the state's oldest cemetery, first appearing on Colonel William Light's 1837 plan of the Adelaide city centre, to the south-west of the city. The whole cemetery is state heritage-listed, including Smyth Chapel, and it is one of the oldest operating cemeteries in Australia.
The Adelaide Park Lands were laid out by Colonel William Light in his design for the city in 1837. Originally, Light reserved 2,300 acres (930 ha) for a park, and a further 32 acres (13 ha) for a public cemetery.
The first official burial at the site was 30 year old James Laffan in July 1840, with the management committee beginning to sell leases the year prior. Although over 500 unofficial burials were held at the site prior to Laffan, of which there are no records.
The cemetery was quickly divided into lots by religious denomination, with a Jewish section created in 1843 at the request of a Mr Montefiore. In 1845, after the arrival of Bishop Francis Murphy, a Catholic section was formed with land outside the original site. This site would later subsume unused portions of the Jewish and Quaker sections, with the Church of England and Quakers receiving their own sections in 1849 and 1855 respectively. The Quakers would be the last denomination to receive their own section. Although "Afghan" (Muslim) and Druze areas of the general cemetery would be set aside in 1896 and 1928.
In 1902, the first crematorium in the southern hemisphere was built, and began operating in 1903. It was the only one in Australia for 20 years.[citation needed]
In 1989 the cemetery was listed on the South Australian Heritage Register.
The cemetery is home to around 60 olive trees which were planted in the 1860s. It is believed that the cemetery's first curator, Henry Brooks was responsible for their planting. It is believed that he worked with his friend, George William Francis, the first superintendent of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens in bringing them to the cemetery.
In 1995, over 60 graves and headstones in the Jewish section of the cemetery were desecrated. Over 1, 000 people attended a "Service of Solidarity" at the cemetery to express solidarity with the Jewish community. Yehuda Avner, then Ambassador from Israel to Australia attended and read out a letter by Israeli Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin: "Given our history, our common heritage, our mutual faith, the desecration of the Adelaide Jewish Cemetery could not but touch a nerve in the emotions of us all... It revives painful associations.” A message was also read by Australian Prime Minister, Paul Keating, condemning the “mindless behaviour” that has “no place in a tolerant society.” Both the federal and Government of South Australia promised to cover the costs of restoring the damaged graves and headstones. Two men were charged in connection to the vandalism.
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West Terrace Cemetery
The West Terrace Cemetery, formerly Adelaide Public Cemetery, is a cemetery in Adelaide, South Australia. It is the state's oldest cemetery, first appearing on Colonel William Light's 1837 plan of the Adelaide city centre, to the south-west of the city. The whole cemetery is state heritage-listed, including Smyth Chapel, and it is one of the oldest operating cemeteries in Australia.
The Adelaide Park Lands were laid out by Colonel William Light in his design for the city in 1837. Originally, Light reserved 2,300 acres (930 ha) for a park, and a further 32 acres (13 ha) for a public cemetery.
The first official burial at the site was 30 year old James Laffan in July 1840, with the management committee beginning to sell leases the year prior. Although over 500 unofficial burials were held at the site prior to Laffan, of which there are no records.
The cemetery was quickly divided into lots by religious denomination, with a Jewish section created in 1843 at the request of a Mr Montefiore. In 1845, after the arrival of Bishop Francis Murphy, a Catholic section was formed with land outside the original site. This site would later subsume unused portions of the Jewish and Quaker sections, with the Church of England and Quakers receiving their own sections in 1849 and 1855 respectively. The Quakers would be the last denomination to receive their own section. Although "Afghan" (Muslim) and Druze areas of the general cemetery would be set aside in 1896 and 1928.
In 1902, the first crematorium in the southern hemisphere was built, and began operating in 1903. It was the only one in Australia for 20 years.[citation needed]
In 1989 the cemetery was listed on the South Australian Heritage Register.
The cemetery is home to around 60 olive trees which were planted in the 1860s. It is believed that the cemetery's first curator, Henry Brooks was responsible for their planting. It is believed that he worked with his friend, George William Francis, the first superintendent of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens in bringing them to the cemetery.
In 1995, over 60 graves and headstones in the Jewish section of the cemetery were desecrated. Over 1, 000 people attended a "Service of Solidarity" at the cemetery to express solidarity with the Jewish community. Yehuda Avner, then Ambassador from Israel to Australia attended and read out a letter by Israeli Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin: "Given our history, our common heritage, our mutual faith, the desecration of the Adelaide Jewish Cemetery could not but touch a nerve in the emotions of us all... It revives painful associations.” A message was also read by Australian Prime Minister, Paul Keating, condemning the “mindless behaviour” that has “no place in a tolerant society.” Both the federal and Government of South Australia promised to cover the costs of restoring the damaged graves and headstones. Two men were charged in connection to the vandalism.
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