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East Perth Cemeteries

Author

City of Perth

Place Number

02164
There no heritage location found in the Google fusion table.

Location

2 Bronte St East Perth

Location Details

EPRA

Other Name(s)

East Perth Cemeteries
East Perth Cemetery & St Bartholomews Church

Local Government

Perth

Region

Metropolitan

Construction Date

Constructed from 1829

Demolition Year

N/A

Statutory Heritage Listings

Type Status Date Documents More information
Heritage List Adopted 20 Dec 1985
State Register Registered 23 Apr 2020 Register Entry
Assessment Documentation
Heritage Council

Heritage Council Decisions and Deliberations

Type Status Date Documents
(no listings)

Other Heritage Listings and Surveys

Type Status Date Grading/Management More information
Category Description
Perth Draft Inventory 99-01 YES 31 Dec 1999

Heritage Council
Classified by the National Trust Classified 06 Aug 1973

Heritage Council
Register of the National Estate Permanent 21 Mar 1978

Heritage Council
Municipal Inventory Adopted 13 Mar 2001 Category 1

Category 1

Exceptional significance - Essential to the heritage of the locality. Rare or outstanding example.

Local Heritage Survey Completed\Draft Category 1

Category 1

Exceptional significance - Essential to the heritage of the locality. Rare or outstanding example.

Local Heritage Survey Category 1

Category 1

Exceptional significance - Essential to the heritage of the locality. Rare or outstanding example.

Child Places

Statement of Significance

The place is rare as a group of intact colonial cemeteries located within the central business district of an Australian capital city.
The place has important associations with early colonial settlers from the 1830s to the 1890s, including government administrators, well-known families, religious leaders and other prominent people involved in the development of colonial Perth.
The place contains a wide range of memorials, which reflect the traditions, and trends of different religious denominations until the late nineteenth century, including particularly fine examples that demonstrate the skill, artistry and craftsmanship of their time.
The place has the potential to yield information, through archaeological investigation, relating to the population of the State, such as life expectancy, family size, religious affiliation, ethnicity, and genealogy.
St Bartholomew’s Church is the only example of a mortuary chapel constructed in Western Australia, which was later converted for use as a parish church.
The place contributes to the community’s sense of place as a tangible reminder of the contribution of early settlers to the development of Perth.
The place has landmark quality on a hill top site, and its dry, ‘rural style’ landscape setting offers an experience of isolation and tranquillity that is unique in an area now surrounded by urban development.

Physical Description

The cemetery comprises of a number of formerly separated denominational burial grounds dating from 1829 and a mortuary chapel in the Church of England Cemetery later used as a Parish Church. The site is now designated Disused Burial Ground.

History

In 1842 the property was allocated to be used as a burial site. The cemetery was open to Church of England initially, then was open to Roman Catholic, Congregational, Wesley churches, then Jewish community. In 1871 the chapel was designed by Richard Roach Jewell and located in the Church of England section. In 1897 Karrakatta cemetery was allocated as an alternative to East Perth which people were concerned about as a health hazard. By 1899 East Perth cemetery was designated as a disused cemetery. Approximately 10,000 people were buried there, with only 800 headstones remaining. In 1910 some of the disused area of the cemetery had been sold for housing. There was public concern that the cemetery was in a bad state of repair and two local residents lobbied for fundraising to maintain the cemetery. St Bartholomew’s Church was still in use into the 1970s even though it was deteriorating during this time. In the 1950s some of the land from the Presbyterian, Jewish and Chinese sections was given to the Education Department for use by Perth Girls School.
In the 1990s a fence was erected around the perimeter, a memorial to the Chinese people buried in the cemetery was placed inside the grounds and the Jewish cemetery was set aside as a reserve. Restored headstones were placed in this area. The whole cemetery is vested with the National Trust. A small portion is a park and is vested to the City of Perth.

Integrity/Authenticity

High integrity.
High authenticity.

Condition

Good

References

Ref ID No Ref Name Ref Source Ref Date
MRA Register of Heritage Places Assessment document - East Perth Cemeteries 2020
'Conservation Plan: East Perth Cemeteries', prepared by Fiona Bush, Philip Palmer & Ronald Bodycoat for the National Trust of Australia (WA) National Trust WA January 2005
3.109A COP Heritage Place File City of Perth

State Heritage Office library entries

Library Id Title Medium Year Of Publication
2968 The East Perth Cemeteries - A Student Work Book Report 0
5584 The Gateway Project : a vision for Perth's eastern gateway (masterplan). Brochure 2004
9229 East Perth Cemeteries: Conservation plan Heritage Study {Cons'n Plan} 2005
2967 The East Perth Cemeteries - A Teacher Resource Book Report 0
2956 The conservation of monumental headstones. Heritage Study {Other} 1997
888 The East Perth Cemeteries Conservation Plan Heritage Study {Other} 1992
942 East Perth cemetery landscape conservation study : the East Perth study Report 1991
7731 Gateway - depot precinct: design guidelines and performance standards for development. Report 2004

Place Type

Individual Building or Group

Uses

Epoch General Specific
Original Use MONUMENT\CEMETERY Cemetery
Present Use RELIGIOUS Church, Cathedral or Chapel
Original Use RELIGIOUS Church, Cathedral or Chapel
Present Use MONUMENT\CEMETERY Cemetery

Architectural Styles

Style
Victorian Rustic Gothic

Construction Materials

Type General Specific
Roof TIMBER Shingle
Wall BRICK Common Brick

Historic Themes

General Specific
PEOPLE Early settlers
PEOPLE Famous & infamous people
DEMOGRAPHIC SETTLEMENT & MOBILITY Settlements
DEMOGRAPHIC SETTLEMENT & MOBILITY Depression & boom
SOCIAL & CIVIC ACTIVITIES Religion

Creation Date

30 May 1989

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Approved

Last Update

07 Jun 2024

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.