The cemetery, founded in 1858, is the resting place of over 165,000 Roman Catholics. The 29-acre cemetery has memorials for Belgian soldiers and Commonwealth service personnel from both World Wars, along with numerous foreign nationality war graves. Notable burials include British spy Peter Ashmun Ames, conductor Sir John Barbirolli, and activist Marcus Garvey. The cemetery, which is open year-round, features a chapel used for funeral and memorial services. Visitors can consult computerized burial records dating back to 1858 at the cemetery office.
Established in 1858, the 29-acre (120,000 m2) site was built next door to Kensal Green Cemetery. It is the final resting place for more than 165,000 individuals of the Roman Catholic faith, and features a memorialtoBelgian soldiers of the First World War, wounded in combat and evacuated to England, where they died in hospital.
There is also a War Memorial, in the form of a Cross of Sacrifice to the British, Irish, French, Czechoslovakian and Canadian servicemen.[2] It is surrounded by a Screen Wall memorial and a low kerb listing Commonwealth service personnel of both World Wars whose graves in the cemetery could not be marked by headstones. In all, the cemetery contains 208 graves of Commonwealth service personnel of the First World War, and 107 graves of the Second World War. There are also many foreign nationality war graves that include, from First World War, 77 Belgians and six Germans, and from the Second, eight Czechoslovakian and six Polish war graves.[3]
Many Irish migrants who came to England during the Great Famine are buried here.[4]
James Grant (1822–1887), Scottish author, historian, artist and architect
Marcus Garvey (1887–1940), Jamaican political activist – initially buried in catacombs beneath the chapel,[6] later reburied in King George VI Memorial Park, Kingston, Jamaica.
Gilbert Harding (1907–1960), journalist, radio and TV personality
The office is closed on Bank Holidays and during summer months closing times can vary. The summer opening hours are in effect from early April to late October during UK British Summer Time. The winter opening hours are for the rest of the year when the UK has Greenwich Mean Time.
Office hours are Monday to Friday – 9am to 3pm. >Visitors may request the office staff consult the computerised records of all interments in St Mary's Catholic Cemetery (from 1858 to date).
