The original cemetery used before the town of Meekatharra was gazetted in 1903 and continued to be used until May 1907. The cemetery was located next to mining works and was deemed unsuitable. In 1907 the town council organised the creation of the Cemetery Board, which organised land cleared for a new cemetery. – With thanks to David Senn for his research.
The Meekatharra Old Cemetery is located one kilometre south of the township. It is not signposted and is surrounded by mine works on three sides. It is accessible by a short dirt track leading to the fenced-off area enclosing the cemetery.
Meekatharra Old Cemetery
6 known burials + 1 commemoration.
Coordinates: -26.60180, 118.49009
Old Meekatharra Cemetery – Photo David Senn
CLARK Dulcie Hope – Died: 7 Jun 1904, at Meekatharra, age 7 mths, 1 wk; Father: Frederick FORTESCUE (shop assistant); Mother: Ethel Florence CLARK; Born 1903, North Fremantle, WA; Buried at the Meekatharra Old Cemetery (Reg: 1561/1904).
DAVIDSON John William — Died: 29 Mar 1904, at the Havelock South GM, Meekatharra, WA, age 37 yrs, Cause: Died from injuries sustained in a mining accident; Occ: Miner; Father: unknown; Mother: unknown; Buried: 30 Mar 1904 at the Meekatharra Old Cemetery (Reg: 1547/1904). Mine Death – www.wavmm.com
J W Davidson – Photo David Senn – Old Meeka
Murchison Times and Day Dawn Gazette 7 April 1904, page 2
Fatal Accident at Meekatharra – An inquiry into an accident to a miner named John William Davidson, which resulted fatally, was held at Meekatharra on Friday last by Mr, Lander, Inspector of Mines. From the statement of John Edward Grover, a partner of the deceased in the Havlock South mine, it appears that on the 28th of March, Davidson went below about 11.20 a.m. to work in at underhand stope at the 60ft level. Some 40 minutes after, a man named McGee called out down the shaft that it was crib time, and getting no answer, Grover went below to see what was the matter. He found that a fall of earth had occurred 40ft north of the shaft, and immediately over the bottom stope.
He at once returned to the surface and informed McGee and another named Oliver, of what had happened. They went down the north shaft and discovered that they could not release Davidson from that point. They were discussing how to release him when Davidson spoke to them and explained the position, and said he could hold out indefinitely. They then went to the south shaft and started to release him. Eventually, they succeeded at about 10p.m. Davidson was under the earth for about 10 hours, but he was very cheerful all the time and said that nothing serious was the matter. He died on the 29th at 6.35 a.m. John McGee and Robert Oliver gave similar evidence.
Deceased from the time of the accident would not hear of his mates obtaining a doctor, maintaining that after he had rested a few days, he would be alright. His only injury appeared, from his remarks, to be to his left arm. It is estimated that over fifty tons of earth must have fallen, and it was remarkable that the deceased was not instantly killed, the latter being due to pieces of timber being caught in such a way as to prevent the full weight of the earth from falling on him.
O’LEARY James – Died: 23 Jan 1906 at Meekatharra Creek, Meekatharra, WA, age c.56 yrs, Cause: Pneumonia; Occ: Labourer; Father: unknown, Mother: unknown; Buried at the Meekatharra Old Cemetery (Reg: 12/1906 Murchison).
PEARCE Samuel – Died: 8 Jan 1907, in Meekatharra, WA, age 38 yrs, Cause: Heart Failure; Occ: Police Constable; Father: unknown; Mother: unknown; Buried at the Meekatharra Old Cemetery (Reg: 4/1907 Murchison – under the name PIERCE).
S Pearce – Photo David Senn – Old Meeka
WALKER Dennis John – Died: 28 Apr 1990, at Nedlands, WA, age 49 yrs, Occ: Plant Operator; Father: Cyril Peter DONAVAN; Mother: Florence Christina WALKER; Born: 24 Oct 1940, Orange, NSW; Married: Margaret Anne BYRNE; Cremated at the Karrakatta Cemetery; Grave marker in Meekatharra Old Cemetery (ashes or cenotaph unknown) (Reg: 1978/1990 Perth).
D J Walker – Photo David Senn – Old Meeka
WILLS Henry Francis – Died: 23 Jun 1905 at his camp, Meekatharra, WA, age c.73 yrs, Cause: Suicide with detonator cap; Occ: Blacksmith; Father: Francis WILLS (Baptism Minister); Mother: Elizabeth Greenslade TARGETT; Born: Cologne, GERMANY; Married: Amelia Theresa ANDERSEN on 2 Aug 1873, Havelock, NZ; Children: Elizabeth Therese (1874-1875), Frederick Emanuel (1875), Amelia (1878), Isabella (1881), Wilfred (1883); Buried: 25 Jun 1907 at the Meekatharra Old Cemetery (Reg: 1567/1905).
H F Willis – Old Meeka
Unknown Afghan – Details are unknown.
Wiluna Chronicle and East Murchison Advocate – Sat 30 May 1925
THE OLD CEMETERY AT MEEKATHARRA
A few old graves; we almost weep
For the forgotten here who lie
In their oblivion: which doth keep
Their earth-born mem’ries and we sigh.
The common lot of millions, dead
As the wide wild drought-stricken bush,
The weird lone landscape far outspread;
eath doth appealing voices hash.
The open gate forbids not here,
The fence posts tott’ring, others lie
Or hang on bended wires anear,
Rusting in drear neglect—and why?
‘Tis sad to see these friendless graves,
And think of those who lie therein;
Their mute appeal some tribute craves
For love which in the past had been.
There’s sadness in the silent thought,
Deeper than fleeting grief has known;
The remnant rude neglect bias wrought
Of those in life, beloved, and gone.
A picket fence yet marks a grave
Of someones hopeful darling child,
Within it two wreaths remnants crave
Some sympathy for love that toiled.
A broken cross of marble, white,
Forgotten, seems silently forlorn,
A good man’s grave here is in sight,
Claimed not forgot by friends who mourn.
Death claimed two in the prime of life,
Thereon recorded on the stones,
And others nameless, mother, wife,
Only the night-winds these bemoan.
Say? can this little graveyard be
Forgot by all who pass it by
‘Tis where the stranger to may see
Those lonely tombs and inly sigh.
Soon like a flash the thought is gone
Into oblivion, sacred, not;
Neglected graves where weeds alone
Will ever grow on this small plot.
Two lonely tomb-stones on the wild
Appeal; forlorn on this sad plot,
Only the sunbeams on them smite
Ask, ”are we now remembered not?”
We think and solitary, sigh
In solemn silence of the heart:
For uttermost neglect anigh;
And melancholy we depart.
Ah! fleeting griefs and mem’ries fled,
Now left to solitudes alone;
The friend, beneath the stone there laid,
Seems like old sorrows also gone.
What end has life? its turgid stream
Flows on in each eventful year;
So soft a battle, oft a dream,
Its end is very often drear.
Has love deserted this sad spot:
The love which sacred duty craves:
The few; the new by men forgot,
Now mould’ring ‘mong the wreck of graves.
Moya Sharp
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Thankyou Moya for these incredible records of times past. I have a relative buried at the Kalgoorlie cemetery named Densley. I think his name was Ben or maybe William. He was killed in action in the Dardenelles with the Victorian Red Cross corps. I would love to know any other information or photos if you have them. He would have been a distant cousin to me. Ben Densley lived in Kalgoorlie and was my fathers uncle. My email address is hallmg@bigpond.com if you would prefer to send things that way. Thankyou again for all you do to make these special connections. Glenys Hall.
Have emailed you Glenys
I have fond memories of Meekatharra and surrounds having worked at Paddy’s Flat.
So much so that I have done quiet a few paintings from my memories.
Great Place.