Thursday 26 December 2013

Kensal Green Cemetery records on DeceasedOnline

Abridged press release from Deceased Online (www.deceasedonline.com):

Second of London’s ‘Magnificent Seven’ cemeteries to make all records available exclusively on Deceased Online

All records for Kensal Green, one of the UK’s most historic and celebrated cemeteries, have been digitized and added to the specialist family history website www.deceasedonline.com.

Located in London’s Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Kensal Green was opened in 1833 by the General Cemetery Company and is the earliest of the capital’s major cemeteries pre-dating Abney Park, Brompton, Highgate, Nunhead, TowerHamlets and West Norwood; collectively, The Magnificent Seven. Kensal Green is home to graves for some of London’s most famous Victorians and Edwardians including Isambard ‘Kingdom’ Brunel, Wilkie Collins, William Makepeace Thackeray and Anthony Trollope, a collection of royals 650 members of the titled nobility and over 550 individuals noted in the Dictionary of National Biography.

Earlier in 2013, Deceased Online digitized all records for Brompton Cemetery, managed by The Royal Parks, so Kensal Green becomes the second of The Magnificent Seven to have all records digitized and available online.

As at Boxing Day, 26th December, 2013 (over 180 years after the first burial), all of Kensal Green Cemetery’s records from 1833 until 1901 are available on the website together with all records for West London Crematorium, 1939 – 2010 located at the same site and managed by General Cemetery Company. The remaining burial records post 1901 will be added during the early part of 2014 to complete the dataset.

The records available comprise the following:
  • Digital scans of the original burial reference books
  • Details indicating those buried in each grave
  • Digital scans of the original cremation registers (up to 1993, thereafter, computerized records)

Early in 2014 we will also add maps of the cemetery which will indicate the section location of each of the graves.

The Kensal Green digitization project was carried out on behalf of the General Cemetery Company to improve public access to the records and also to conserve these important records. Lee Snashfold, Director of General Cemetery Company, said: “We are delighted to have had all our records digitized which not only enables greater, easier access to these important records but also improves our own internal management systems. As one of the premier cemeteries in London, it is good for us to be in the vanguard of digitization and web access.”

An important local history group and charity, The Friends of Kensal Green, is dedicated to the preservation, conservation and restoration of the Cemetery for the public benefit. The Friends group not only campaigns to help conserve the many listed buildings and monuments but also provides tours, exhibitions and information about the Cemetery. For more information, see www.kensalgreen.co.uk.

(With thanks to Richard Gray)

Chris

My latest book, Discover Scottish Civil Registration Records, is now available from http://www.gould.com.au (print) and http://www.gen-ebooks.com/unlock-the-past.html (ebook), whilst Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet is available at http://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-History-on-the-Internet/p/3889/.

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