Bloxwich Cemetery, located on Field Road, was opened in 1875.
Until 1875, burials had taken place in the churchyard of All Saints – the parish church of Bloxwich (built 1793). By the 1870s, the churchyard had become extremely crowded and another burial site was needed.
Bloxwich Cemetery as shown on map c1901
The cemetery expanded over the years – from 6 acres to about 13 acres today (2023).
Map of Bloxwich Cemetery c2021
There were originally two mortuary chapels – one designated for Church of England and one for Nonconformists – but the Nonconformist chapel was demolished sometime before 2009. There was talk of demolishing the remaining building but as of 2023, the disused chapel is still standing.
Side view of disused chapel at Bloxwich Cemetery
Family Connections
1986 – Carnation Richards (died 27 Jan 1986) – buried [HH section]
1987 – Charles Richards (died 29 Apr 1987) – buried [HH section]
1900 – Eli Fletcher (infant) – buried 10 Aug 1900 [E section 2 grave 55]
1909 – Elizabeth Fletcher (died 3 May 1909) – buried 8 May 1909 [C section 2 grave 251]
Other Connections
1875 – The first burials were those of William Boncer (age 28) and Henry Edward Hough (aged 2 days) on 7 June 1875.
(Mary Ann Pritchard (aged 3) was buried 8 June)
In Port Chalmers Cemetery, there is a headstone for married couple, Alexander Ritchie Buchan & Agnes Buchan (nee Findlay) – but only one of them was actually buried in that grave (Block UO. Plot 126B).
There are also three other memorial plaques naming another four members of the family, but again, only one of those people were buried there. In fact, of the six people memorialised on this grave, only two were actually buried in Plot 126B; Agnes and her son (also named Alexander Ritchie). So where is Alexander?
Plot 126B of Port Chalmers New Cemetery with Buchan family memorials
It turns out, Alexander is not far away at all – he’s actually buried in the grave opposite.
When Alexander died suddenly of a heart attack in 1896, only a few years after emigrating to New Zealand from Scotland, his young family were left in ‘very poor circumstances’. [See the post Inquests and Articles for more information.] The burial register indicates that the Congregational Church and/or their minister, Reverend William M Grant, took pity on the family and allowed Alexander to be buried ‘in the ground belonging to the church’ (Block UO. Plot 2):
433. BUCHAN Alexander Ritchie – Blk UO Plot 2 Class 1 Died 2 Dec 1896, aged 34 years, of failure of the heart, a fisherman. Resident of Mansford Town. Born Peterhead. Last came from Peterhead Scotland. Lived 3 years in province. Buried with written consent of the Rev Wm M Grant Congregational Church, in the ground belonging to the Church.
(Transcript of Burial Register, Port Chalmers New Cemetery, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand (1881-1929), p34)
A year later, another man, Robert Jones, who presumably also died in poor circumstances, was buried in the same plot. This time the order was signed by Mr Robert Bauchop – who according to his own obituary, was a senior deacon of the church:
467. JONES Robert – Blk UO Plot 2 Class 1 Died 17 Dec 1897, aged 77 years, of general decay, a bricklayer. Resident of George Street Port Chalmers. Born Holywell Flintshire Wales England. Last came from Melbourne Victoria. Lived 7 years in province. Applicant: Robert Bauchop. Buried in the Congregational Church ground – order signed by Mr Robt Bauchop.
(Transcript of Burial Register, Port Chalmers New Cemetery, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand (1881-1929), p37)
Plot 2 of Port Chalmers New Cemetery with the Grant family monument
In 1935, the Reverend Grant who buried Alexander all those years ago, was also interred in Plot 2. Over the years that followed, other members of the Grant family were also buried there before the plot was finally sealed. Interestingly, it seems Rev. Grant’s infant child was actually the first to be buried in the plot – 15 years before Alexander. Reverend Grant’s obituary mentions that he and his family had gone to Australia for a time (the time when Robert Jones was buried) before returning to his congregation in Port Chalmers.
3. Plan: U.O. plot 2 – W.M. Grant. William. Stone: William Mugford Grant for 27 years Minister of Port Chalmers Congregational Church, born 5 October 1851 died 12 February Emily wife of Rev. W.M.Grant born 8 March 1849 died 30 November 1924. Also William their son born Orange, N.S.W. died Port Chalmers 1882. Also their son Reginald James born 1881 died 1941. And their daughter Elsie Mary Grant born 1883 died 1961. Site: Plot sealed.
(Headstone Transcripts, Port Chalmers New Cemetery, p17)
By the time, Agnes died in 1939, the family had the means to buy the plot in which she is buried – directly across from the one in which her husband Alexander had lain for 45 years.
The other Buchan names recorded at plot 162B:
(son) Alexander Ritchie Buchan (junior), 1890-1944, plot 126B
(his wife) Elizabeth P. Buchan (nee Hendra), 1893-1968, Block NL. Plot 9
This morning I received some death certificates for members of my BUCHAN family. On Alexander Ritchie BUCHAN’s certificate it states his cause of death as ‘Verdict of Jury – Sudden Failure of the Heart’.
Part of Alexander Ritchie BUCHAN’s death certificate – 1896
My grandmother mentioned in a letter years ago that “Grandad B [a fisherman] was actually pulling in a fishing net, when he apparently (I presume) had a heart attack & died at age 34”. I had no idea there was an inquest into his death though.
I searched through the newspapers on New Zealand’s wonderful Papers Past site and found a mention in the ‘Casualties’ section:
A sudden death occurred about 8 o’clock on Wednesday night, 2nd. Alexander Buchan, who was engaged fishing with his brother John in the lower harbour, had just hauled in the net, when he went to the bow of the boat and fell forward, and on his brother going to him found he was dead. An inquest was held on Thursday afternoon when after hearing the evidence of Charles and John Buchan, John Keenan, and Dr Cunninghame, the jury returned a verdict that deceased died from sudden failure of the heart. Deceased leaves a wife and five children in very poor circumstances. (Otago Witness – 10 Dec 1896, p15)
Otago Witness – 10 Dec 1896, p15
His wife Agnes (nee FINDLAY) was left with 5 children under the age of 9 – their daughter was only 3 weeks old!
Alexander was buried in Port Chalmers cemetery on the 5th December 1896. Also buried on the plot were members of the GRANT family who I believe to be unrelated and a Robert JONES (according to the Cemeteries Database on the Dunedin Ciy Council website). On the entry in the Cemeteries Database is the note:”GRANT PLOT: CONSENT OF CHURCH”.
It seems that the church took pity on Alexander’s family (who had only arrived in the country 3 years earlier) and because of their “very poor circumstances”, buried him in this plot as an act of charity.
I am really keen to find any surviving inquest records as I know nothing about a brother called John!
Next Steps:
Locate inquest records (if any)
Search for church records that may mention the burial
While in Devon I paid a visit to the lovely village of Broadhembury. I had hopes of finding the graves of my STILING forebears to give me some new leads – this wasn’t to be. I did however, find the graves of some other Stilings. These Stilings are bound to be related somewhere along the line so I post these photos of their gravestones to help out distant family members who may be looking for these guys.
Affectionate Remembrance of
Thomas Stiling
Died Sep 18th 1848
Aged 38 years
[…] in death
ALSO Jane his wife
Died March 26 1875
Aged 75 years
Thy Will Be Done
ALSO John their son
Died November 27 1892
Aged 63 years
In Loving Memory
Of
William Stiling
Who died March 20 1865
Aged 43 years
*note* – These inscriptions were extremely difficult to read. Most of the last one was deciphered through touch and educated guesswork so may not be entirely accurate.
The same distant relative I mentioned in my last post, had sent me digital copy of a cemetery record print out (to tie up some loose ends). At the bottom, I noticed the source was a website and a previously locked door was opened!
The Dunedin City Council website has an online search facility of the city’s cemeteries. The results are more detailed than I’d expect – death date, burial date but also last address of the deceased and sometimes occupations. It also links to others buried in the same plot. This in particular has enabled me to discover people and links to other people, I wouldn’t otherwise have connected.
I don’t know how long this has been available for but I am so pleased I have finally discovered it. I know have some more pieces to help fit this puzzle together.
