We’re celebrating History Week (23-30 October) with a tour of the Pakenham Cemetery at 11 am on 30th October 2011.
Gazetted in 1865, this picturesque little cemetery has many stories to tell, so come and hear a few of them with us.
Cost – $5 per person (tea and coffee supplied). Bookings are essential, to book or for more information contact Lynne, our research officer. If you’ve got family history intersts in the area, you might like to spend the afternoon at our Research Room which will be open from 2pm to 4 pm or the Berwick Pakenham Historical Society, also open on Sunday afternoon.
Address: Thewlis Road, Pakenham. Melways Map ref: 215 G2
There will be many exciting tours, exhibitions and events throughout Victoria during History Week, full details plus a calendar of events are available on the website: http://www.historyweek.org.au
Hi Julie,
our records show that your Thomas James Mason was buried in the Church of England section of the Pakenham Cemetery and that there is a headstone. I can send a transcription or, if you can wait until Tuesday morning, I can get you a photo of the grave.
We do have a research service for $15 an hour, if you send us a family group sheet or outline of what you already know, we can have a quick look at our resources and let you know if we can be of further help to you or not.
regards,
Lynne
Hello I would like some general history about the cemetery is there someone who could help me? Thanks Kate
Hello Kate,
Five acres of Crown Land in the County of Mornington, parish and township of Pakenham were
gazetted on 21 February 1865 although it is believed that burials commenced in the cemetery in the 1850s.
The first five Trustees were appointed on 8 May 1865:
John Startup
Richard Fortune
Michael Bourke
Thomas Mulcahy
George Ritchie.
All but Richard Fortune are buried in the Pakenham Cemetery.
We haven’t been able to uncover much about the cemetery’s history but the South Bourke &
Mornington Journal didn’t seem too impressed when they came here for the first time in 1877 to report on a funeral. They wrote – “From a first visit to the Pakenham cemetery, we cannot say much in praise of the residents who permit it to remain in its present state so long. There are only five acres of it, which were granted by Government, and it is not creditable to the residents to allow it to remain almost in its natural state.”
If you require more specific information please contact me (research.officer@nwfhg.org.au) with what you require and we’ll try to help. Regards, Lynne
I am making enquiries about my father-in-law
Thomas James Mason who died 4th April 1979 and was
buried in the Pakenham Cemetery.
I am in the process of doing our family tree and I am
looking for any info I can get plus any photoes if
possible as I live in N.S.W. and it is to hard to go there myself.
Thank You
Julie Mason