Burials book, Chinese Rookwood Cemetery

Rookwood Chinese Burials book held by the Rookwood Century Trust

Rookwood Cemetery Chinese Section burial records

Image Courtesy of: Rookwood Cemetery Trust

As with many colonial era cemeteries organised along the lines of Christian denominations, a "Chinese" section was separated. In the case of Rookwood this section was given to the Anglican Church to administer. This they did meticulously, including recording both burials and when many of those burials were subsequently exhumed so the bones could be taken to China.

Burials Register, Chinese Section Rookwood Cemetery

Image Courtesy of: Rookwood Cemetery Trust

“Removed to China”, indicated exhumed plots.

Rookwood Cemetery, Anglican Trust: Register of Burials in the Necropolis at Haslem’s Creek, under the Necropolis Act of 1867, 31 Victoria, no.14, ‘Chinese Section of General Cemetery’.

For more information about burials and exhumations see: Departed Friends, an extract from Returning Home with Glory, pp.110-114.

Numbers of returns to China

Image Courtesy of: Michael Williams

A survey of the Rookwood Chinese Burials provides this information. Note the dip in exhumations during both world wars, not resumed after WWII.

See also: Michael Williams, “Departed friends”, Journal of Chinese Australia, Issue 2, October 2006.