Meath Gardens (London)

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• 
  saturner

  A private company opened Victoria Park cemetery in 1845 on 11½ a. of the Butler estate near the Regent's canal. In 1846 a superintendent's house and a small mortuary chapel by Arthur Ashpitel were built by its entrance at the western end. By 1856 burials were at the rate of 130 every Sunday and there were complaints about the cemetery, which was never consecrated. After closure in 1876 the neglected ground was used by ruffians for prostitution . The Disused Burial Grounds Act, 1884, prevented building on the site, which in 1885 became a recreation ground. Metropolitan Public Gardens Association most important acquisition in Bethnal Green was Victoria Park cemetery, whose freehold the Revd. Y. B. M. Butler agreed to hand over in 1891. It was conveyed to the L.C.C. and in 1894 re-conveyed to the association which had carried out the conversion. The tombstones were set against the wall and the converted cemetery opened in 1894 as Meath Gardens, named after the association's chairman. Also, once known as The Diary of Mary Countess of Meath.

  13 years ago | reply | hide comment
• 
  saturner

  This was formerly Victoria Park Cemetery.

  13 years ago | reply | hide comment
• 
  Peter (guest)

  The "converting" association was the Metropolitan Public Garden Association (MPGA). Their mission was to convert 'disused burial sites' and cemeteries into public green spaces in the (at the time) over-crowded, smog ridden, late Victorian era East London.

  10 years ago | reply | hide comment
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  Sarah (guest)

  Are the bodies still in situ or were the remains removed?

  9 years ago | reply | hide comment