Cemeteries

 
 

Hanwell Cemetery

Address:

Hanwell Cemetery, 38 Uxbridge Road, Ealing, London, W7 3PP

Tel: 0208 567 0913
Fax: 020 8579 1750

View plan of cemetery layout
How to get there - bus routes:
  • E3 - From Chiswick to Greenford via Hanwell & Acton Town Station
  • E8 – From Brentford County Court to Ealing Broadway Station
  • 83 – From Ealing Hospital to Golders Green
  • 207 – From Shepherds Bush to Uxbridge
Nearest underground and trains stations:
  • Ealing Broadway – District and Central Lines
  • Acton Town and Boston Manor – Piccadilly Line
  • Hanwell – Thames Trains to / from Paddington.

Please visit Transport for London's journey planner for more detailed information about public transport in the area.

Disability discrimination act:

There are disabled toilets to the west of the Office / Chapel and access to the Chapel and Offices is by movable ramp. Please contact the office at Hanwell if you are disabled to ensure staff are available to help when you arrive.

History of Hanwell Cemetery.

In the late 1840’s the St. George’s Hanover Square Burial Board was confronted by complaints about the condition of the burial grounds in Bayswater Road and St. Mark’s, North Audley Street. They were finally able to take action after the Metropolitan Interment Act of 1850 became law. There are over 16,000 private graves and in excess of 100,000 interments have taking place throughout the cemetery.

Chronology:

1853 – Purchase of 12 acres in Hanwell, Ealing that were to provide a new cemetery initially for the exclusive use of St. George’s Hanover Square. They appointed Robert Jerrard as architect. The cost to design the cemetery and it’s buildings was £14,741 17s 11d.

6th July 1854 – The cemetery was consecrated by the Bishop of London.

2nd August 1854 - The first interment took place.

1883 – An additional 11 acres of land was purchased making a total of 23 acres.

1889 – The cemetery was transferred to the Metropolitan Borough of the City of Westminster.

1945 – The south stained glass windows were a memorial gift to the City Council and depict a miscellany of some 30 biblical emblems.

1994 – The building making up the office and Chapel were the subject of an extensive scheme of restoration.

2001 – Completion of works to Office and Chapel which was in the main the replacement of the roof to the Chapel and the cleaning of the exterior of the office and chapel complex. Implementation of the works required under the Disability Discrimination Act including movable access to the Chapel and Offices and a Disable toilet to the West of the Office.

Buildings:Interior of Hanwell Chapel

The Chapels and Offices are in the Victorian Gothic style and were constructed of course pitched faced stone. The freestone door and window surrounds may be Bath or Portland stone. The Chapel has a fine hammer beam roof incorporating arched bracing and central carved stone corbels.

Civilian war memorial:

The civilian memorial to the 200 dead of the Second World war, near the centre of the cemetery, was unveiled in 1950.

Here Lies, amongst others, Al Bowlly the popular singer who was killed in an air raid (lasting 10 hours) at his flat in Jermyn Street on 17 April 1941. Bowlly was said to have been "Britain’s answer to Bing Crosby". His age was recorded as 42, but some believe he had tried to hide his true date of birth (1890) for theatrical reasons.

War graves:

There is a Royal British Legion memorial cross in the centre of the cemetery, and throughout the site there are a number of graves administered by The Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Famous names/memorials of special interest:

Freddie Frinton. 1916 – 1968 Comedian

Sir John Ackerman K.C.M.G. 1825 – 1905. Mayor of Pietermaritzsburg

Richard Bullen Newton. 1854 – 1926 Paleontologist at the British Museum.

Col. Sir David Semple. 1856 – 1937 First Director of Research India. Founder of the Pasteur Institute at Kasauli India.

Sir John Hunt O.B.E. First Town Clerk of the City of Westminster 1900 - 1928