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Cathcart Cemetery

Cathcart Cemetery is a cemetery in East Renfrewshire, Scotland, which was opened in 1878. It is named after the nearby neighbourhood of Cathcart on the southern outskirts of Glasgow, but does not actually fall within the city boundaries. It is bounded to the east by the White Cart Water, with Linn Park on the opposite bank. Other surrounding residential areas to the west are Muirend and Netherlee. The grounds of Holmwood House, a mansion designed by Alexander 'Greek' Thomson, are located a short distance to the north.

The 43 acre site is divided into two sections, the older section and the newer Linn extension, divided by Netherlee Road. There are war graves in both sections; a total of 243 Commonwealth service personnel of both World Wars are buried here. Cathcart Cemetery is one of the few multi-faith burial grounds in the Glasgow area, housing Hebrew and Muslim sections in the Linn Extension.

Cathcart Cemetery is a garden cemetery and designed to be enjoyed as parks and gardens. For the Victorians, death was not something that was hidden away, but almost something to be celebrated in finely carved gravestones and a prime location. And Cathcart Cemetery is no exception. According to the sales brochure: 

“A cemetery in the country, easy of access from the city, yet sufficiently removed to be clear of its deleterious vapours, surrounded by woods and echoing to the sound of murmuring streams, laid out and embellished with artistic taste, and yielding flowers and blossoms for nine months of the year, was hardly dreamed of. Yet these advantages have now been combined in Cathcart Cemetery"

(Notes on Cathcart Cemetery and Surrounding Districts 1888) 

 

The Cemetery was laid out by William Ross McKelvie (1826 – 1893), one of Scotland’s finest Garden Cemetery designers.  

 

Cathcart Cemetery is a well-loved and valued space in the community.  With nearly 15,000 graves, the Cemetery is a deep library of local knowledge and social history – every grave tells its own stories.  Given how near Hampden is, it’s no surprise that Cathcart Cemetery is the final resting place of great pioneering footballers of the day, including Joseph Taylor, the first Captain of Scotland, and the first managers of Celtic and Rangers, Willie Maley and William Wilton.  Entertainers are well represented including Margaret Metcalfe Jefferson, (Stan Laurel’s mother); the musical-hall comedian Mark Sheridan and the Gaelic opera singer Jessie MacLachlan.  Great artists such as George Henry, Hannah Frank and Marianne Grant can also be found at the Cemetery.

 

The Cemetery is also home to some magnificent gravestones and memorials: the William and Mary Hood mausoleum, which is based upon the Philae Temple of Hathor is a full-scale Egyptian temple in the middle of the Southside of Glasgow.

 

The cemetery gatehouse had been derelict for ten years until it was restored as a family home, winning a Glasgow Institute of Architects Design Award in 2011.


Everyone has their favourite gravestones and stories. If you want to help please get in touch here.

 


 

Friends of

Friends of Cathcart Cemetery is a fledgling community group interested in celebrating the cultural, architectural and natural heritage of Cathcart Cemetery in the southside of Glasgow. Whether you use the cemetery to walk the dog, exercise, escape for some peace and quiet, explore the beautiful headstones or enjoy the woodlands and nature, we believe the cemetery is an important local asset and want to see it improved for all to enjoy.

We are particularly interested if you have any information about the 'incumbents' buried here. We need your help! .

If you want to help us please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us here.

Friends of Cathcart Cemetery were granted charity status on 24 June 2021.  Our Management Document can be viewed here.

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