Southern Cemetery (Manchester)

United Kingdom / England / Cheadle and Gatley / Manchester
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The inspiration for The Smiths' song 'Cemetery Gates', it is the resting place of, among others, The Joy Division lead singer Ian Curtis and Sir Matt Busby, the legendary Manchester United Manager.
Also present are a number of graves of the children who were killed by Moors Murderers Myra Hindley and Ian Brady, although these are not marked on any tour of the cemetery, for fears of creating a macabre enthusiasm for visiting the graves.
The man whose money built the biggest non-Oxbridge library in the country is also buried here. John Rylands' widow gave the money to the Victoria University of Manchester in order to build this massive establishment off the Wilmslow Road. His grave is an altar-like structure, unusual in shape with its wrought iron railings ripped out due to the necessity of metal during the Second World War. This is an affliction of many of the more expensive graves.
The cemetery is split up into areas of Non-Conformist, Catholic and Church of England graves, each with their own chapel of rest. In addition, there is a Jewish area and an Islamic graveyard, both to the West of the cemetery.
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Cemetery,_Manchester
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Coordinates:   53°25'46"N   2°15'30"W

Comments

  • Ian Curtis' ashes were buried in Macclesfield Cemetery, not Southern Cemetery.
This article was last modified 12 years ago