Rookwood Cemetery Discoveries

  I noticed recently that a number of musical concerts were to be conducted in The Great Synagogue in Sydney which was built between 1874 and 1878, designed by Thomas Rowe with stone work carved by Aaron Liveridge (I promise a blog about him later...), I had published a blog a few months back about Charlotte Rowe, Thomas' first wife and promised a further "deep dive" into her family connections who were possibly the link between her and Thomas crossing paths. So, with that in mind I bring you the story of her cousins who made a great deal of wealth during Victorian times. THE NEALE FAMILY - JAMES HENRY, THOMAS HENRY JAMES AUSTRALIA, JOHN THOMAS AND SAMUEL. James, was born in 1828 with his brother Thomas, following him in 1830. They were the sons of John, an overseer, butcher and Alderman and his wife, Sarah, of Denham Court near Campbelltown southwest of Sydney. They were two of their thirteen children. Being born only two years apart, the brothers were very close. ...

 Welcome to 2023 and I'm happy to have you along with me on a journey through Rookwood. I have a number of stories to share as the year progresses. For this post I am veering in a slightly different direction. During Victorian and Edwardian times in particular, stonemasons issued books that detailed the various types of headstones that could be made and purchased, a bit of a production line of design. We see many similar headstones throughout cemeteries of this time and this practice still continues. Wandering around the older parts of Rookwood, there are many examples of very unique and beautifully carved headstones and monuments, and it is a few of these that I want to share with you today.  JOHN WILLIAM WOOD John William was born in 1811, the son of John Wood, tailor, and his wife Elizabeth. John senior was convicted of forgery and uttering and was sentenced for life, arriving here in 1813. He received a pardon in 1847 whilst residing in Parramatta and conducted a successfu...