Author Topic: Saltwell cemetary Gateshead, anyone have knowledge of layout?  (Read 825 times)

Offline PaulThommo

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Saltwell cemetary Gateshead, anyone have knowledge of layout?
« on: Friday 08 July 16 06:56 BST (UK) »
My Great grandparents are both buried at Saltwell cemetary. Henry Edward Thompson in 1912 and his wife  Jane Thompson in 1933. The council charge £31 for each search as records have not been computerised yet. As it is a large cemetary does anyone know if certain areas were used for burials at certain times thus reducing the area that I have to look. I am hoping that they may both be buried together but don't know. I am currently in the Gateshead area on holiday. Any assistance would be so appreciated otherwise it is a packed lunch and comfortable shoes job!!!!!!  Many thanks Paul Thompson
Thompson - Stokesley, Great Ayton, Little Ayton &  Easby Nth Yorkshire. Westoe, South Shields, Gateshead
Dobson - Westoe & South Shields
Jefferson - South Shields
Rippon - Jarrow & South Shields
Purves & Harvey - South Shields

Offline Girl Guide

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Re: Saltwell cemetary Gateshead, anyone have knowledge of layout?
« Reply #1 on: Friday 08 July 16 08:51 BST (UK) »
Not going to be much help I'm afraid.  I did find out that the cemetery opened in 1905 so Henry will be buried in the oldest part of it.

If you can find some kind of building like a lodge or something of that nature, there may be someone who can tell you which is the oldest part of the cemetery.

The address is obviously Saltwell Road, Gateshead NE8 4TQ and it looks as though the phone number is 0191 477 1659.  You could try ringing to see if anyone can tell you anything about the layout.
Ashford: Somerset, London
England: Devon, London, New Zealand
Holdway: Wiltshire
Hooper: Bristol, Somerset
Knowling: Devon, London
Southcott: Devon, China
Strong: Wiltshire
Watson: Cambridgeshire
White: Bristol
Windo - Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire

Offline JenB

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Re: Saltwell cemetary Gateshead, anyone have knowledge of layout?
« Reply #2 on: Friday 08 July 16 08:57 BST (UK) »
If you have time to go to Tyne & Wear Archives in Newcastle (an easy walk from the Central Station) you could look at the microfilmed Cemetery Registers yourself and establish exactly where they are buried.
https://twarchives.org.uk/
file:///C:/Users/Owner/Downloads/7098-cemeteries-and-crematoria%20(3).pdf

All Census Look Ups Are Crown Copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline PaulThommo

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Re: Saltwell cemetary Gateshead, anyone have knowledge of layout?
« Reply #3 on: Saturday 09 July 16 08:09 BST (UK) »
Hello Girl Guide and JenB, many thanks for your replies. I decided yesterday to do the legwork and spent half a day at Saltwell crematorium.  Of course not a sole around (it was Friday afternoon and the pub would have called them) so I started off trying to find the oldest graves (as you said Girl Guide it opened in 1905). Finally came across a section of similar era gravestones and with much walking found that they were spread over 7 sections of the cemetary and in no particular order, it was like "we'll have that plot over there thank you". Of course with most cemetaries a lot of the old graves have no information now, their headstones are either missing or lying down with the inscriptions facing down, trees, bushes or ivy growing on the plot and covering headstones or the elements have made the headstone impossible to read. With about 20 graves to go believe it or not, nestled under a spreading chestnut tree (it mightn't have been but it sounds good) my eyes came across the words I had been looking for. To be honest I had given up hope and was going through the motions, you should have seen the smile on my face!!!! The headstone is in very good condition and the grave contains not only my G grandparents but also their eldest daughter who died prior to her mother dying. No one will have visited the grave in probably 50 years or so so I will go back and place some flowers there, I'm sure in their own way they will be delighted that a family member has found them.
I think Murphy's law of looking for gravestones is to start at the end and work your way to the beginning!!!! Another one off my family history bucket list.
once again many thanks. PaulT
Thompson - Stokesley, Great Ayton, Little Ayton &  Easby Nth Yorkshire. Westoe, South Shields, Gateshead
Dobson - Westoe & South Shields
Jefferson - South Shields
Rippon - Jarrow & South Shields
Purves & Harvey - South Shields


Offline Girl Guide

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Re: Saltwell cemetary Gateshead, anyone have knowledge of layout?
« Reply #4 on: Saturday 09 July 16 08:20 BST (UK) »
That's great news Paul, worth doing all that walking then.  I can imagine that the smile on your face was HUGE!!

Now you know where it is you will be able to find it more quickly on any future visits.

Love your pun - sole for soul!
Ashford: Somerset, London
England: Devon, London, New Zealand
Holdway: Wiltshire
Hooper: Bristol, Somerset
Knowling: Devon, London
Southcott: Devon, China
Strong: Wiltshire
Watson: Cambridgeshire
White: Bristol
Windo - Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire

Offline JenB

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Re: Saltwell cemetary Gateshead, anyone have knowledge of layout?
« Reply #5 on: Saturday 09 July 16 08:50 BST (UK) »
Well done, great result!
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