On the border of Chorlton and Didsbury at the junction of Princess Road and Barlow Moor Road stands Southern Cemetery. According to Wikipedia it is the largest municipal cemetery in the UK and the second largest in Europe.
The cemetery has a place in my heart for a number of reasons.
Firstly it is the last resting place of both my parents. I can remember when my mother died and when visiting her grave with my father we would usually take a stroll around the rest of the cemetery.
As it is a Victorian Cemetery having been built in 1879 it has many interesting and beautiful memorials and grave stones. It is a place full of fascinating wildlife, many lovely trees and well maintained. Well worth a visit.
Currently it has another attraction for me in that it holds the graves and memorials to a number of Manchester Corporation Tramways (MCT) employees who died in the Great War 1914 – 1918.
If one enters the cemetery by the main entrance on Barlow Moor and turns right at the first roundabout you come to the main memorial to those who gave their lives in that war. There is a screen wall with a Cross of Sacrifice in front.
On either side there are graves containing the remains of Australian, New Zealand and Canadian soldiers.
The screen wall is made up of 32 stone panels containing the names of over 380 men who have no known grave. Two of those men were MCT employees Daws JEG and Mellor GE
James E G Daws died 25 August 1917 aged 32.
He was sergeant B/2384 D Company 8th Bn Rifle Brigade. He was the son of William James and Jane Isabella Daws.
He was the husband of Ada Daws 471 Cheetham Hill Road Cheetham Hill Manchester.
He was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the line of duty.
He was a guard on The Manchester Tramways
George Ernest Mellor died 14 August 1916 aged 39. He was Corporal T4/210358 664th Company Royal Army Service Corps. He was the husband of Ellen Walker (formerly Mellor) of 96 Morton Street Longsight Manchester.
His occupation is stated as a sawyer with Manchester Tramways
In front of the screen wall are a number of grave stones. The first one is J Loughlin 727 Private Manchester Regiment who died 18th February 1915.
My research leads me to believe this could be the grave of an MCT employee who is on the MCT Memorial Plaque as Locklin J.
In the MCT Roll of honour is name is Joseph a car cleaner who was a private in the National Reserve.
Other records show that this person died in a railway accident down south while on guard duties with the Manchester Regiment and was reburied in Southern Cemetery roundabout 2005. I am 95% sure it is right, Can U help?
Nearby is the family grave of Henry Hallworth, Ref No K.CE.938. Henry was Private 20299 12th Battalion Kings Liverpool Regiment and died on 29th April 1915 aged 17 years.
He was the son of Henry and Clara Hallworth of 28 Downs Street Openshawe Manchester.
He was a Trolley Boy with Manchester Tramways.
So this Remembrance Week 2017 please try and pay a visit to Southern Cemetery. If you do not have a relative who fought in the Great War to visit, adopt one from the screen wall, say hello to that person and thank him for his sacrifice.
Also while you are there go into the wooden hut opposite the lodge for a fascinating history of Southern Cemetery and also an excellent exhibition on the Great War by historian David Harrop. You will not be disappointed.
If you have info on any of these employees or anyone else on the MCT Memorial Plaque please contact me at martin.logan@btinternet.com or by mobile 07985490124
LEST WE FORGET
Martin Logan © 2017
Pictures; from the collection of Martin Logan
 |
| The screen |
Firstly it is the last resting place of both my parents. I can remember when my mother died and when visiting her grave with my father we would usually take a stroll around the rest of the cemetery.
As it is a Victorian Cemetery having been built in 1879 it has many interesting and beautiful memorials and grave stones. It is a place full of fascinating wildlife, many lovely trees and well maintained. Well worth a visit.
Currently it has another attraction for me in that it holds the graves and memorials to a number of Manchester Corporation Tramways (MCT) employees who died in the Great War 1914 – 1918.
If one enters the cemetery by the main entrance on Barlow Moor and turns right at the first roundabout you come to the main memorial to those who gave their lives in that war. There is a screen wall with a Cross of Sacrifice in front.
On either side there are graves containing the remains of Australian, New Zealand and Canadian soldiers.
The screen wall is made up of 32 stone panels containing the names of over 380 men who have no known grave. Two of those men were MCT employees Daws JEG and Mellor GE
 |
| J.E. Dawson |
He was sergeant B/2384 D Company 8th Bn Rifle Brigade. He was the son of William James and Jane Isabella Daws.
He was the husband of Ada Daws 471 Cheetham Hill Road Cheetham Hill Manchester.
He was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the line of duty.
He was a guard on The Manchester Tramways
George Ernest Mellor died 14 August 1916 aged 39. He was Corporal T4/210358 664th Company Royal Army Service Corps. He was the husband of Ellen Walker (formerly Mellor) of 96 Morton Street Longsight Manchester.
His occupation is stated as a sawyer with Manchester Tramways
In front of the screen wall are a number of grave stones. The first one is J Loughlin 727 Private Manchester Regiment who died 18th February 1915.
 |
| J. Locklin |
In the MCT Roll of honour is name is Joseph a car cleaner who was a private in the National Reserve.
Other records show that this person died in a railway accident down south while on guard duties with the Manchester Regiment and was reburied in Southern Cemetery roundabout 2005. I am 95% sure it is right, Can U help?
Nearby is the family grave of Henry Hallworth, Ref No K.CE.938. Henry was Private 20299 12th Battalion Kings Liverpool Regiment and died on 29th April 1915 aged 17 years.
He was the son of Henry and Clara Hallworth of 28 Downs Street Openshawe Manchester.
He was a Trolley Boy with Manchester Tramways.
 |
| A.N. Mather |
Also while you are there go into the wooden hut opposite the lodge for a fascinating history of Southern Cemetery and also an excellent exhibition on the Great War by historian David Harrop. You will not be disappointed.
If you have info on any of these employees or anyone else on the MCT Memorial Plaque please contact me at martin.logan@btinternet.com or by mobile 07985490124
LEST WE FORGET
Martin Logan © 2017
Pictures; from the collection of Martin Logan
Henry Hallworth was my great uncle. His death caused a solitary in the family as his mother, sister and 2 stepsisters never forgave his father for allowing him to sign up. Harry was adored by them all as the family"baby".He was never forgotten by them and by their families whenever git to.meet him.
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