Tour of historic cemeteries

24 June 2022

Rediscover some of the Hawkesbury’s lesser-known cemeteries on an excursion to old cemeteries in McGraths Hill and Pitt Town. The Methodist Cemetery at McGraths Hill was established in the 1850s, with over 80 headstones including many of Windsor’s business owners. The Old Pitt Town Cemetery is much older and larger, with many pioneer family names inscribed on the headstones.

At the Old Pitt Town Cemetery, we will visit several graves including Ann Smallwood and Granny Greenfield. Ann Smallwood was the daughter of shipbuilder John Grono and died in 1838 while Granny Greenfield was a local midwife, who brought many Pitt Town residents into the world in the early 1900s.

Notable headstones at McGraths Hill are Reverend Peter Turner and his wife Mary, who were missionaries in Tonga and Samoa in the mid-nineteenth century. Several members of the Chandler family also have headstones at McGraths Hill including the local undertaker James Chandler, who died in 1919, and who was also the Mayor of Windsor Council on three occasions.

Join us on this driving and walking tour and discover some of the stories behind those buried in these historic cemeteries. Tours will be held on Thursday, 14 July 2022 10am to midday and repeated on Saturday, 23 July 9am to 11am. Cost is $10 and bookings are essential via https://hawkesburylibrary.eventbrite.com Instructions and directions are provided at the time of booking.