|
|
| The
Mill stood in the place where the Oratory now stands. |
St James' Cemetery began life in the 1600's as a sandstone quarry.
The quarrymen constructed a tunnel to ferry the stone to and from
the site. This tunnel - although still
in existence is blocked up.
| βLoss
of appetite, nervous disorders, Lowness of spirit, headaches
proceeding from crudities of the stomach, Rickets and weak eyes.β
|
| Uses
for the water from the spring discovered in 1773, according
to James Worthington. |
By
1825 the useful stone from the quarry had been exhausted and the
town council had to decide what was to be done with the quarry.
The
corporation raised nearly Β£20,000 by public subscription and employed
architect John Foster (1786 - 1846) to design and lay out a cemetery
along the same lines of the Pere-la-Chaise, Paris.
This
new cemetery would relieve the pressure on the Low Hill Cemetery,
Everton where it was getting difficult to prepare a new grave without
disturbing another corpse!
 |
| The
Anglican Cathedral was completed after the cemetery stopped
being used. |
In
1894 a proposal was made that the cemetery should be filled in and
the land set aside for other uses which prompted a public outcry.
Mr. T.W. Christie wrote to Bishop Ryle:
"At last it is disclosed that not only have ye been nursing the
plot in secret, but have actually passed a vote of thanks to Mr.
Lister for his plan for filling up the cemetery from end to end.
A monstrous and inhuman proposal to say the least of it."
The
cemetery soon became well used with up to 8 burials per day during
the Victorian era.
It finally closed in July 1936, when, after 57,774 burials it was
considered full.
St
James Cemetery is now a conservation area, and a nature conservation
site, Grade 1.
|
