Student Activity 4: EAST PERTH CEMETERIES A Visit to East Perth Cemeteries The gravestones CAN speak to us! They tell us about life-span, causes of death, religious beliefs and occupations of colonists. Choose up to EIGHT graves in the Cemeteries to complete the table. NAME/S OF PEOPLE BURIED DATES OF BIRTH AND DEATH (AND AGE AT DEATH) SKETCH / DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS ON GRAVESTONE MESSAGE CARVED ON THE GRAVESTONE (including CAUSE OF DEATH if given) National Trust of Australia (WA) 2011 Page 1 of 6
A. HEALTH IN THE COLONY Reading other gravestones (with a partner) see if you can find: i) Names and information of at least four families whose children died at a young age. ii) At least four causes of death during the 1800s. When you return to school you will be able to share the information you have collected and talk about WHAT caused most deaths in the Colony during the 1800s and WHY these were such a problem. The messages written on the gravestones will give you hints about values in the colonial society and attitudes towards death. B. SOCIAL CLASS IN THE COLONY Look for the largest vaults or family graves in the cemeteries. Make a sketch of some of them and write: i) The names on the tomb ii) The type of stone used ( ask your guide or teacher) iii) The decorations on the tomb iv) Any special occupations held by the people buried in the grave National Trust of Australia (WA) 2011 Page 2 of 6
C. WELL KNOWN WEST AUSTRALIANS BURIED AT THE CEMETERIES Many very important people who founded and shaped the Swan River Colony are buried in these Cemeteries. You will hear stories about many important people when you do the Cemeteries Trail. Choose a person who interests you. They can be the focus of your in depth research on a SIGNIFICANT person in the Colony. HERE ARE SOME PEOPLE BUIED IN THE CEMETERIES WHO SHAPED THE EARLY SWAN RIVER SOCIETY: Francis Fraser Armstrong Peter Broun Maitland Brown Archibald Paul Burt Dr John Ferguson Richard Roach Jewell George Leake (senior - d 1849) Anthony O Grady Lefroy John Henry Monger John Septimus Roe William Stirling (Cousin of James Stirling) William Shenton Henry Strickland William Trigg Sabina Hale (Molloy) George Glyde Panter, Harding, Goldwyer Rev John Burdett Wittenoom Walter Padbury D. A MULTI NATIONAL COLONY How many people can you find who were from countries other than Britain? Hint: Look for names, symbols of different countries, inscriptions in other languages? National Trust of Australia (WA) 2011 Page 3 of 6
E. EXPLORING ST BARTHOLOMEWS CHURCH Draw a map of the layout of the church. The Church was extended from its original size. Why? This church is regarded as being significant because it has heritage value. What does this mean? What do you think is significant about the place? National Trust of Australia (WA) 2011 Page 4 of 6
POST EXCURSION ACTIVITIES UNMARKED GRAVES Out of 10,000 people buried in the Cemetery only about 800 have graves marked with a stone or memorial. Original wooden crosses and tombstones have disappeared over time worn away, removed or vandalised. Burials of paupers or people without families were never marked with a memorial. Sometimes the grieving family left the Colony without organising a memorial. Here is the story of one family. Dr John Whatley, a surgeon, was keen to build a new life for his wife Anne and two small daughters. The family arrived in the Swan River Colony in October 1829, received a land grant and soon after this Anne Whatley gave birth to another daughter. Anne wrote in her diary of plans for a new house with six rooms and a fine native mahogany door. On a trip to buy a cow from across the Swan River, John Whatley and Captain John Stroyen drowned when their boat capsized. Dr Whatley was 32 years old. He was buried on 19 September, 1830 in the East Perth Cemeteries. His wife took their daughters back to England just two months after his death. His burial site does not have a headstone. Did John s devastated wife just want to leave the colony and did not buy a stone? Did she pay someone to provide the stone but the job was not completed? Did a wooden cross mark Dr Whatley s place of burial only to decay over time? Here s your chance to be a colonial artist and design a gravestone. Some ideas on what you can include on the gravestone: Symbols The name of the person Date of birth and date of death Cause of death Message from family / or a religious message. National Trust of Australia (WA) 2011 Page 5 of 6
STORY TELLING - English The Lonely Grave of a Small Child. There are many graves of small children scattered across the cemetery. This grave belongs to a six week old baby, Gustav Amsberg. Write about the short life of a young person like Gustav. When and why did the family come to the colony? How did they manage during their first years in the colony? What happened to cause the death of their child? Write your story in the first person from the perspective of another family member. National Trust of Australia (WA) 2011 Page 6 of 6