History Drayton and Toowoomba Cemetery

sexton s residence (devine family), ca. 1886

in march 1875 john devine appointed sexton, initiating 86 years of continuous service 3 generations of devine family sextons of drayton , toowoomba cemetery: john 1875 1898; son william john 1898 1934; , william s son james robert 1934 1961. william , james planted of trees surviving in cemetery grounds, including avenue of trees along entrance driveway south street. 1930, william planted 14 norfolk island pine trees along drive leading anzac avenue west towards sexton s residence, each tree representing 1 member of family. following james devine s retirement sexton s residence removed, , in 1965 lawn cemetery established on site.

in interwar period (c. 1930) 3 timber-framed shelter sheds terracotta-tiled roofs , lattice in-fill panels sides, erected in cemetery. larger, earlier shelter shed has been removed site.

in 1950s survey of cemetery anticipated existing reserve occupied within 20 years, , in 1957 on 31 acres (13 hectares) adjoining western boundary of cemetery granted cemetery trustees. however, little of has been utilised burials, reflecting rise in popularity of cremations in late twentieth century. private crematorium opened in toowoomba in 1966 , columbarium established in drayton , toowoomba cemetery in 1990s.

about mid-1950s part of ground set aside in 1850 jews , pagans made cemetery ex-military service personnel. annual service still held here on sunday before anzac day (25 april).

toowoomba monumental masons have been associated design , construction of of headstones , other monuments in cemetery since 1850s. these include: walter bruce 1871 1968 (by 1915 firm known bruce brothers); ernest s hunt in 1880s , 1890s; henry bailey in 1890s; john h. wagner 1896 (this firm still operates j. h. wagner , sons); , rudolph c. ziegler c. 1912 (this business became r. c. ziegler , son in 1920s , still operates). other monumental masons left mark included: w. colcombe, swamp, 1854; whitfield, toowoomba, mid-1860s; , j. cameron, toowoomba, 1873.

the cemetery neglected during 1960s , 1970s earlier graves overgrown grasses, weeds , trees, , many headstones , grave surrounds had been vandalised or allowed deteriorate. in october 1974 administration of cemetery passed toowoomba city council, cleared overgrowth , transformed cemetery community asset. in 1987 additional 12.62ha along southern boundary of cemetery transferred council cemetery purposes, has not been used.

by 2008 there more 45,000 burials in drayton , toowoomba cemetery. in addition original sections, designated areas paupers, stillborn babies , muslims have been established. sections of cemetery remain in use.

many of queensland s , prominent citizens lie buried here, including: pastoralists william kent of jondaryan , william beit of westbrook; politicians such gilbert eliott (first speaker of queensland parliament), james taylor (member of first queensland parliament), , william henry groom (first mayor of toowoomba , queensland s first representative in commonwealth parliament); surveyor , explorer francis thomas gregory; brisbane s first town clerk, william boyce; , notable personalities such john moffat of irvinebank , george essex evans, poet of federation . buried in cemetery thomas , elizabeth alford, gave names both drayton , toowoomba.

the cemetery final resting place of darling downs station workers helped establish of earliest pastoral empires in queensland - such stockman john hill, speared aborigines on eton vale station in 1843, remains transferred drayton , toowoomba cemetery in 1909; of railway navvies gave lives constructing main range railway; of aboriginal people, between 1868 , 1911 recorded aboriginal plus english first name, in aboriginal billy ; of chinese persons buried in pagan section; , of persons executed @ toowoomba gaol , buried without headstones. pattern of immigrant settlement in drayton-toowoomba district reflected in numerous scottish, english, irish , german names found on headstones.