Coolgardie Pioneer Cemetery – a picturesque and pathetic ceremony

UNVEILING THE PROSPECTORS MEMORIAL CROSS

A picturesque and pathetic ceremony was seen at the unveiling of the pioneers’ memorial this day. In the early nineties, a small plot of ground was set apart as a cemetery. It is not more than a quarter of an acre and is situated in immediate contiguity to the recreation reserve. It was found, owing to the rapid increase of population in those days, advisable to remove ‘God’s Acre’ further out of town.

However, those already gone to their rest were allowed to remain as they were. For years the place was unattended and unhonored, until the local branch of the A.N.A., (Australian Natives Association), made an appeal to the Government with the result that £70 was obtained to be devoted to the fencing in and beautification of the spot, which held the remains of those who had fallen by the way in the early days.

Old Pioneers of Coolgardie Unveiling the Memorial Cross in the old Coolgardie Cemetery Sunday 4 oct 1903.

The ground has now been enclosed with a neat picket fence (as yet unpainted). A pedestal has been erected in the centre of the ground formed of rough masses of quartz. cemented together and supporting a marble cross bearing the following words.

“Erected to the Memory of the early Pioneers 1893-94. The men who blazed the track.”

In the presence, despite stormy weather, of a large concourse of people, the mayor, Mr. A. P. Wymond, who is also president of the local branch of the A.N.A., stripped from the memorial the Australian flag which covered it and in a few words explained the situation. Proceedings opened by the Liedertafel singing “Nearer my God to Thee”. Short addresses were then delivered by the mayor unveiling the cross. the Rev. S. Bullen. and Mr. O’Donoghue, General secretary of the A.N.A., after which the Liedertafel sang with good effect, “The Long Day Closes”. The Rev Angus King then spoke and was followed by Mr. W. M. Faahan who its now probably the oldest pioneer still residing in Coolgardie. Mr. Faahan, on behalf of the absent ones, and those who had gone before, thanked those whose kindly thought had perpetuated the memory of the early battlers. “Abide with me” by the Liedertafel ended the impressive ceremony.

The Memorial Cross today – Photo Danelle Warnock

The “men who blazed the track” were of course, actuated by self interest, but nonetheless they did work that few could do, and the results are manifest today. They forgot all they left behind them and only looked forward to the possible. Many of them saw the possible become a fact, but failed to participate in any of the benefits, and for that reason their memory was honored. There are about 50 graves in the endosure but only two have any headstone or tablet. They died, many of them without a sign, and the record is a silent one. The whole proceedings were marked by a semi-religious tone and in more than one case during the addressee a moist eye and a quivering lip were in evidence with some of the “old timers.”

Coolgardie Pioneer cemetery 2024 with individual plaques placed by outbackgraves.org – Photo Outback Graves

NOTE: Next week we will have the biographies of those who are buried in this cemetery.