Gore Hill Memorial Cemetery is located in the northern Sydney suburb of St Leonards in New South Wales, Australia, and is one of the oldest and largest remaining cemeteries in metropolitan Sydney. It was established on 19 May 1868 by the New South Wales politician William Tunks. The first body was interred in 1877, and until its closure in 1974, 14,456 burials took place. Most burials took place between 1900 and 1930.
History and background
Several local councils administered the cemetery until 1875, when trustees from various denominations of churches took over the role.
Scattered throughout the cemetery are the remains of a number of deceased persons initially buried in the Devonshire Street Cemetery. The remains were transferred before the redevelopment of Devonshire Street Cemetery in 1901.
There are 17 war graves of Commonwealth service personnel of World War I, registered and maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
By the 1950s burials had decreased, and in 1974 the cemetery ceased operating. To signify its closure and change of status from a working to a memorial cemetery, it was renamed the Gore Hill Memorial Cemetery.
Gore Hill Memorial Cemetery had been administered by the Gore Hill Memorial Cemetery Trust until 29 June 2012 when the Northern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust took over the administration.
George Alexander Chambers (1877–1963), Bishop of Central Tanganyika (1926–1946) and founder of Trinity Grammar School.
Alfred Conroy (1864–1920), Member of the Australian Parliament for Werriwa (1901–1906, 1913–1914).
James John Glover JP (1843–1918), Alderman (1899–1917) and Mayor of the Municipality of Mosman (1904–1905, 1909–1910).
Dave Gregory (1845–1919), first test captain of Australian cricket team in 1877.
Rector Thomas Holme (1835–1907) first Rector of All Souls Anglican Church, Leichhardt (1882–1903).
Benard Kieran (1886–1905), world champion swimmer.
Reverend Charles Lacey Kingsmill (1833–1910) long-serving Canon of St Saviour's Cathedral, Goulburn.
Mary MacKillop, St Mary of the Cross MacKillop (1842–1909), was first interred here from 1909 to 1914 when her remains were moved to a specially-built chapel in North Sydney.
John Charles Maynard (1835–1906), Chief Inspector and Under-Secretary of the NSW Department of Public Instruction (1885–1903), monument erected "by the officers and teachers of the department in commemoration of faithful public service."
Charles Edward Robertson Murray (1843–1923) District court judge (1875–1916), jurist and Royal Commissioner.
Maurice O'Shea (1897–1956), prominent winemaker and vigneron.
Frederick George Sargood (1861–1932) eldest son of Frederick Thomas Sargood, governing director of Sargood Gardiner and director of the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children.
Sir John Sulman (1849–1934), prominent architect and chairman of the Federal Capital Advisory Committee.
Dugald Thomson (1848–1922), politician, member of NSW Parliament for Warringah (1894–1901) and member of the first Australian Parliament for North Sydney (1901–1910).
William Tunks (1816–1883), first mayor of St Leonards, Member of Parliament for St Leonards and founder of Gore Hill Cemetery.
Walter Liberty Vernon (1846–1914), New South Wales Government Architect (1890–1911).
Hugh Venables Vernon (1877–1935), son of above, prominent soldier and architect, also noted involvement with RSL.
William Wardell (1823–1899), civil engineer and architect noted for designing St Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne, Government House, Melbourne, St John's College, University of Sydney and St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney.
Dr. James Eli Webb (1887–1939), member of NSW Parliament for Hurstville (1932–1939).
James Robert Wilshire (1809–1860), third mayor of Sydney, Member of Parliament for Sydney City (monument transferred here in 1901 from the former Devonshire Street Cemetery).
James Thompson Wilshire (1837–1909), son of above, mayor of Burwood, Member of Parliament for Canterbury (monument transferred here in 1901 from the former Devonshire Street Cemetery).
Harrie Wood (1831–1917), civil servant and miner, appointed NSW under-secretary of mines in 1874 and later Agriculture and Justice.
Harrie Dalrymple Wood CMG (1867–1937), son of above, civil servant, rugby union player and administrator, and Prothonotary of the NSW Supreme Court (1932–1936).
John Fell Dalrymple Wood (1909–1989), Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of New South Wales and founder of the school of Mechanical Engineering.
Notable internees also include several members of the Hordern family.
