Te Henui Cemetery, also known as New Plymouth Cemetery, is the oldest public cemetery in

New Plymouth New Plymouth () is the major city of the Taranaki region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after the English city of Plymouth, in Devon, from where the first English settlers to New Plymouth migrated. The New Pl ...

, New Zealand. It was first used in 1861. The New Zealand

Ministry for Culture and Heritage The Ministry for Culture and Heritage (MCH; ) is the department of the New Zealand Government responsible for supporting the Creative New Zealand, arts, Culture of New Zealand, culture, New Zealand Historic Places Trust, built heritage, Sport Ne ...

gives a translation of "the great mistake" for .

Description

An ordinance by the

Taranaki Provincial Council The Taranaki Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876. Initially known as New Plymouth Province, the province was renamed on 1 January 1859 as the Taranaki Province. Area With an area ...

dated 28 October 1861 set aside and established the first public burial ground in New Plymouth. The cemetery is the resting ground for the last eight victims of

Tītokowaru's War Tītokowaru's War was a military conflict that took place in the South Taranaki District, South Taranaki region of New Zealand's North Island from June 1868 to March 1869 between the Ngāti Ruanui and Ngāruahine Māori people, Māori tribes ...

. On 13 February 1869, a war party of

Ngāti Maniapoto Ngāti Maniapoto is an iwi (tribe) based in the Waikato-Waitomo region of New Zealand's North Island. It is part of the Tainui confederation, the members of which trace their whakapapa (genealogy) back to people who arrived in New Zealand on th ...

led by Wetere Te Rerenga killed all three men, a woman and three children, and also the

Wesleyan Wesleyan theology, otherwise known as Wesleyan–Arminian theology, or Methodist theology, is a theological tradition in Protestant Christianity based upon the ministry of the 18th-century evangelical reformer brothers John Wesley and Charle ...

missionary John Whiteley who arrived shortly afterwards, at the isolated Pukearuhe

Redoubt A redoubt (historically redout) is a Fortification, fort or fort system usually consisting of an enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort, usually relying on Earthworks (engineering), earthworks, although some are constructed of ston ...

, some from New Plymouth. This was the final act of the Taranaki wars. There are two separate monuments at the cemetery that commemorate people who died in the incident. With the abolition of provincial government in 1876, the cemetery came under the control of the New Plymouth Borough Council. Today, it is controlled by the

New Plymouth District Council New Plymouth District Council () is the territorial authority for the New Plymouth District of New Zealand. The council consists of the mayor of New Plymouth, , and 14 ward councillors. Composition Councillors * Mayor, * Councillors at Lar ...

. The main entrance to the cemetery is located at the intersection between Watson and Lemon Streets, where memorial gates were installed in 1924 on the request of Alice Honeyfield, a former resident then living in Sydney. The cemetery contains the Commonwealth war graves of 12 men who served in the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, and 19 men who served in the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. Plots are no longer available for purchase, and the cemetery has mainly a heritage function. Occasional burials still occur on family plots.

Notable burials

Frederic Carrington Frederic Alonzo Carrington (11 October 1807 – 15 July 1901) was a 19th-century New Zealand politician and surveyor. He is regarded as the Father of New Plymouth. Carrington was born in Chelmsford, Essex, England, in 1807, the son of Captain ...

(1807–1901), local member of parliament, Taranaki Superintendent, and "Father of New Plymouth" * Cyril Croker (1888–1958), solicitor and member of the Legislative Council * Paddy George (1883–1950), representative rugby league player * Monica Brewster (1886–1973), the lady behind the

Govett-Brewster Art Gallery The Govett-Brewster Art Gallery is a contemporary art museum at New Plymouth New Plymouth () is the major city of the Taranaki region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after the English city of Plymouth, in ...

* Leila Hurle (1901–1989), senior school inspector * Thomas King (1821–1893), local member of parliament and one of the original settlers of New Plymouth *

Abraham Salaman Abraham Walley Mahomed Salaman (also spelt Mohamed; 1881-1886 – 8 February 1941) was a notable New Zealand merchant, dyer, herbalist and charlatan. He was born in Amritsar, to Muslim parents, in Punjab (British India), Punjab, British Ind ...

(1885/1886?–1941), merchant, dyer, herbalist and charlatan * William Skinner (1857–1946), surveyor, historian, and ethnographer * Thomas S. Weston (1836–1912), judge and 19th-century member of parliament * John Whiteley (1806–1869), Wesleyan missionary murdered at Pukearuhe

References

External links

* {{coord, -39.057, 174.092, region:NZ_type:landmark, display=title New Plymouth Cemeteries in New Zealand