Blackwood Self-Guided Cemetery Tour
Blackwood Cemetery has been a burial site since 1855, when gold attracted thousands of people to the area. It was officially recognised in 1860. Earlier burials almost certainly took place amongst diggings in the surrounding hills; most are now lost to time and, unfortunately, to any hopeful ancestry researcher. A celebrated exception is the grave of Isaac Povey, which sits atop Deadmans Hill.
Blackwood Cemetery provides a wealth of evidence about life in the Gold Rush period. People from all over the world were drawn to the area. A substantial number of Chinese graves sit at the rear of the cemetery, while those on the main grounds are generally grouped by religious denomination. Life expectancy on the 1800's goldfield was low, as children were especially vulnerable to disease and the adults engaged in constantly hazardous work.
Many visitors are curious about the grave of 'Little Doaty', which sits prominently at the entrance gates. It is the resting place of young Josephine Rowan, who died in 1878 front the then-common disease of Diptheria. 'Doaty' is most likely a child's rendering of the name Josie.
Please keep to the pathways out of respect for those interred in these plots, as half the graves here are unmarked. Many of the souls memorialised here came to this area with high hopes of making their fortune. Some did, most didn't. Here lie the rich and poor, the famous and the infamous. All made their unique mark. Now and forever, they rest together in what we believe is the most picturesque of Victorian cemeteries.
There is an interesting self-guided tour of the cemetery. At the cemetery there are plastic covered trail cards in the rotunda at the cemetery. Please return these cards after your tour. Each grave on the tour is marked with a small white post with the location number on it.
Blackwood Cemetery Tour Map
1. Josephine Rowan (Little Doaty). Died 23/10/1878 aged four from Diphtheria. Much loved by generations of Blackwoodians, she is a stark reminder of the life expectancy of infants from that period. This cemetery has numerous graves of the young, some are known - many sadly not.
2. Eleanor Taylor. Longest serving head teacher at Barrys Reef School, she lived most of her life in the town and thus was one of the few to be present in its heyday, through to its rapid depopulation.
3. Joseph Cruise and Edmund Buckley. Both husbands of Bridget Buckley are buried together here. Bridget had the Blackwood Hotel built in 1868 after the death of her first husband Joseph. For many years it was believed she was interred here with both of her husbands, this was found to be not the case, as she was found buried with her daughter in Melbourne cemetery. 3 young children of Bridget and Joseph are buried next to this plot.
4. Pauline Bonfond. Credited for excavating many of the water races that surround this area (many of them to become our walking trails). By all reports, a woman not to be messed with.
5. Laura Dalton. Died tragically in 1948 after suffering burns sustained whilst ironing linen (using a kerosine iron) at the Blackwood Hotel. 2 young daughters were subsequently fostered out to the publican.
6. William Shaw JP. Came to the Blackwood diggings in the very early days of the rush. An upstanding member of the community, with his brothers excavated Shaws Lake (above the Mineral Springs) The area was subsequently gifted to the community by the family, for which we are eternally grateful on a hot day!
7. Harold Robinson. Sadly, shot dead on the balcony of the All-Saints rectory. His death would make sensational headlines throughout Australia at the time. The book he was reading at the time is in the keeping of the BDHS, bullet hole and all!!
8 William Lawson. The earliest known grave in the cemetery (with a headstone anyway). Killed when a tree he was felling kicked back and struck him in the head.
9. John Cann. Possibly Blackwood's leading citizen during his era, member of numerous committees aiming for the betterment of the town and district. Still has family in the area.
10. William "Billy" Pincombe. Died 1908, infamous for the shooting murder of Harold Robinson (see marker 7). Was subsequently shot by the police upon arrest and died some time later from his wounds.
11. Paul Hester. Much loved drummer of the band Crowded House and for a period with Split Enz. Buried with his father, and mother in next plot.
12. Chinese Section. There are upwards of 40 souls buried back here in un consecrated earth, nearly to the southern fence. Unfortunately, some time ago, senseless persons thought it would be a good idea to souvenir the headstones, therefore there are only a handful standing now.
13. Dr Francis Long. Committed suicide after battling his inner demons! Another sad indictment of the times , buried back here on un consecrated ground. Suicide was seen as akin to blasphemy back then, no doubt there was very little mental support for poor souls with his affliction at the time.
14. Spencer Jones. Another much loved musician, best known for his guitar work with bands such as The Johnnys and Beasts of Bourbon.
15. Matthew Rogers. Clearly the most impressive vault in the cemetery. Made his fortune from the gold here and built the house at the Garden of St Erth. Probably lesser known for his philanthropy for the town, he financed the Salvation Army hall that stood near Blackwood House.
16. Edward "Ted " Hill. Credited with (and paid handsomely for) being the discoverer of the Blackwood goldfield. In reality he was a few months late but shouted "Eureka " the loudest!
17. Dr Edward William Plews. Surely the real gold in times of need was to have a resident doctor. He practiced here from 1861-1899 with his surgery located a couple of doors down from the current hotel. It doesn't take too much imagination to sense some of the misery he must have encountered in his days on a goldfield.
18. Mary Louisa Glew. An essential worker on any goldfield, Mary was a prostitute. She is said to have lived amongst the Chinese at Golden Point. Another sign of the times she lived in is reflected on her stone "Lord have mercy on her soul".
19. Matthew Sweet. Said to be the second person on the Mt Blackwood goldfield (after Ted Hill see 16). Matthew found his way to Ted from the peak of Mt Blackwood, not far from the present Western Highway . No mean feat in itself! Many of his descendants are still represented in the area.
20. William Byres Snr. Patriarch of the Byres family who operated the Royal Mail Hotel (Still standing - just!) and other enterprises in Golden Point for many years in the 18 - 1900s . One of his sons, William Jnr had eight daughters with two sons dying young. This effectively brought an end to the family name in a generation. The plus being that for many years every second person in the town were related as some of the girls married the local lads.
21. Ross Hannaford. Another fine musician, Ross is probably best known for his time with Daddy Cool. He is the one in the clip for Eagle Rock with the funny whirligig hat, amusing to this day!
22. James Ferguson JP. Among his many other achievements, the most valuable of his legacies is his writing. As the Blackwood and district correspondent for the Bacchus Marsh Express , his insight into every day life in the town in the 1800s and regular mining updates is an invaluable record of the time. It is clear to fathom by his writings, he really loved the place and its people He was always talking up the area, even when it was in obvious decline from the heady days!
23. The Wightman family plot. David Wightman ran a large timber mill in Barrys Reef. The timber they cut was used in many of the shafts and tunnels around the district and beyond. His timing was perfect in establishing the mill, underground mining was only a couple of years away from booming!
The trustees of the Blackwood Cemetery hope you enjoyed the tour. We have only given a small sample of the characters (good and bad) that rest within the property. Everyone lying at peace here had a story worth telling, space on the card obviously only permitted a cross section to be chosen. There are many here whose names have been lost in the records, their stories are trapped in their own time, probably never to be unlocked!
Photos:
Location
35 Byres Road, Blackwood 3458 Map
Web Links
→ Blackwood History and Pioneers, Victoria on Facebook
