Hello all,
I know a fair bit about Petersham/Lewisham catholic cemetery. My 2nd Great Aunt was buried there.
As has been recorded many times, all hgtremains of all persons buried with slabs and Tombstones were removed from Petersham cemetery to Rookwood Cemetery or Bunnerong (Botany) Cemetery in 1926/1927. All of the Burials in this cemetery were removed to Rookwood in 1926/1927 and are Listed under Rookwook Catholic Cemetery .......
Well, not completely true. I attended St Thomas Christian Brothers School, Lewisham (1964-1976). I commenced First Form (now Year 7) in 1964 and my classroom was just metres away from the remaining derelict cemetery. During First Term (Feb-May) Workmen arrives to remove Tombs and Headstones from the very much overgrown cemetery.
As very inquisitive boys my classmates and me would frequently engage in conversation with the workmen, seeking ghoulish stories. Those workmen informed us that they were not there to dig up the graves or indeed ant sections of the cemetery, they were are simply there to remove the stonework.
Records of burials in this cemetery are very scant and it is my opinion that persons who were buried in Lewisham Cemetery (according to Death Certificates) and who do not show up in Rookwood's records were probably not removed and are still buried in situ.
A new School Block was built over part of the prior cemetery in 1966, opened in 1967. I spent my last days at Lewisham in that Block in 1967.
Hope this sheds some light on the matter.
Paul S
