Cleckheaton New Cemetery

By the latter part of the 19th century, more space for burials in the Cleckheaton district was desperately needed. Church graveyards were becoming full, as was the "old" cemetery at Whitcliffe. The Cleckheaton Local Board and later the Urban District Council had tried to take steps to enlarge the cemetery at Whitcliffe, but were met with legal issues in securing the relevant permissions of adjacent land and property owners. However, In July of 1903, land had been secured at Whitechapel Road and the "new" cemetery was opened at a cost of about £7,000. There was no official opening ceremony.

This photo is very likely to be taken not long after the cemetery was opened in 1903 showing the mortuary chapel (which is no longer in situ), young sapling trees and a distinct lack of grave stones.

Grave Inscriptions

There are several well-known families buried here, particularly around the area where the mortuary chapel once stood.

The buttons below relate to surnames found on gravestones in this cemetery along with the associated inscription. If more than one surname appears on a stone, then it is duplicated to each surname. This is not a complete listing and hopefully further details will added in the future.

Graves A - E

Graves F - O

Graves P - Y

Burials

These are not "official" burial records but death notices from local newspapers which state the interment took place here. This project is as complete as possible for now, but further details may later appear as and when located.

Burials

This plan of the cemetery shows the original location of the mortuary chapel and lodge house at the entrance. It also shows the different sections that the cemetery is divided into.

Other notes:

1 Jul 1903 - Cleckheaton New Cemetery, Whitechapel Road opened without ceremony at a cost of £7,000 to the Urban Council.
1907 - Annie Foulkes marries at Westgate Cong. Her father is John Foulkes, gardener of the New Cemetery.
31 Jan 1910 - At the meeting of the Urban District Council it was reported that there was just one burial at the cemetery during December 1909. This brings the number of total interments to 130; 102 in the general portion and 28 in the consecrated.
1911 - Census - Cemetery House, Whitechapel Road. Cemetery Registrar recorded as the above John Foulkes.
1921 - Census - Cemetery Lodge, Scholes. Cemetery Registrar recorded as George Massie.
1939 Register - Cemetery House, Whitechapel Road. Cemetery Registrar still the above George Massie.