Balmoral Cementary - Morningside - QLD - Australia - Australian Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

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The History of Balmoral
The Cemetery had many names Balmoral Cemetery was originally called the Kangaroo Point Burial Ground. It had various other names including the Bulimba and Balmoral Cemetery, the Bulimba Cemetery and the Morningside Cemetery before the name Balmoral Cemetery was adopted some 40 years ago.

Balmoral is a place in Scotland
Balmoral is Gaelic for "beautiful residence" or "majestic castle" and is the name of one of the Queen's castles in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It has been said that the surveyor John Watson gave the area the name Balmoral, after the town of his birth in Scotland. Balmoral was part of the area Aborigines called "Tugulawa" which means "place of the heart". This was possibly a reference to the heart-shaped piece of land that constitutes Bulimba and Balmoral.

As Brisbane's population grew more cemeteries were needed
Following the general growth in Brisbane's population, limits of exiting burial areas and lobbying from residents of the eastern areas, an area of originally 55 acres, was surveyed for the cemetery in 1864.
In 1865 a public meeting was held in Kangaroo Point when the site selected for the Cemetery was announced and the initial Trustees nominated. These were; Mr. M'Donald (Secretary), Mr. Eliott (Church of Scotland), Mr Douglas (Church of England) Mr. Darragh (Church of Romo), Mr. Augstein (German Lutheran), Mr. Cairncross (Church of Scotland), Mr. Lyons (Church of Rome) and Mr. Male (Wesleyan). However it was not until July 1869 that the land for the cemetery was officially gazetted.

The first burial
The first burial was believed to have taken place in 1874. Sadly, Wilson Pointon, a 6 year old boy who had drowned in Norman Creek on 26 June 1874. His brother William was disinterred from the Brisbane Cemetery (Lang Park) and reinterred with him. Their parents William Pointon (7 May 1842 - 11 July 1923) and Annie M. Pointon (26 October 1842 - 15 January 1928) are also buried in the same grave, which is located very close to the cemetery gates off Bennetts Road entrance.
The first funeral at the Cemetery to be advertised in local newspapers was Mrs Thorpe on 7 March 1877. In the same year the trustees were Wilhelm Wendt, Andrew Joseph Thynne and Robert Jamieson. The Cemetery at this stage was still called the Kangaroo Point Cemetery.

Clearing and Fencing
In February 1879 the Brisbane Courier published an advertisement for tenders for the stumping and fencing of ten acres at the "Kangaroo Point Cemetery". Tenderers were asked to apply to J. Male, Grocer, opposite Kangaroo Point School near Quinton Street, Mr Male was one of the original Trustees and the Male family grave is in Sect 1/128.

Scaling back of the site
In 1891 the original 55 acres set aside for the cemetery was reduced to around 15 acres because extending the rail line to Cleveland. The remainder, to the south west was designated for use as a recreation reserve now known as Balmoral Park.
The stone wall, which runs the perimeter of the site. was believed during the depression years as part of a work labour program.

Transfer to Council
Early administrative arrangements through the Trustees were the subject of ongoing criticism culminating many letters in local newspapers. This possibly helps to explain the many inaccuracies and omissions in early Cemetery records.
In July 1911 the Trustees of the Cemetery endorsed the transfer c control to the Balmoral Shire Council and this was given approval Executive Council in early 1912. In 1924, the Queensland Parlian of Brisbane Act to set up a single government in Brisbane, absorb local authorities and joint boards. Hence the Cemetery transferred Council and administration has remained with the Council since tr manages 9 other historical cemeteries.

How many people are buried at Balmoral Cemetery?
The Brisbane City Council has records of over 15500 interments in however there could be more given the poor state of many early burial records together this transcription errors over the years.
The Brisbane City Council and the State Archives hold some original burial registers ginal portion books dating from 1888 to 1949. Hemmant Cemetery office holds the original portion books dating from 1875. FOBC maintains a list of monumental inscriptions
The Cemetery contains famous, infamous and ordinary (but often extraordinary) folk of the area south and east of the Brisbane River. The cemetery was an active place for burials from the late nineteenth century through to the 1960s although to this day the cemetery continues to be used for burials, ashes internments and memorials, mainly on family graves. A few new plots have been sold in recent years.
Sadly, the ravages of time, erosion, pollution and vandalism have taken their toll on some the graves of Balmoral Cemetery. However, many families are rediscovering their ancestors and reassuming the care and use of their graves.

Age/Event Date: 1864, 1865, 1874, 1877, 1879, 1891, 1911, 1912, 1924, 1888-1949, 1875, 1960 Type of Historic Marker: Monument Related Website: [Web Link] Type of Historic Marker if other: Not listed Historic Resources.: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   03/09/2020 CADS11 visited it