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It is the last resting position of some of Liverpool’s most prominent people.
From Jack, suspect Ripper James Maybrick to T.J. Hughes, from pop Rory Storm to Daily Post founder Edward James Whitty.
But given its location, which perfectly separates Anfield from Goodison Park, it’s the number of prominent football personalities who have been buried there that makes Anfield Cemetery truly extraordinary.
Legendary Liverpool manager Bill Shankly was cremated at the imposing Victorian site, treble winning boss Joe Fagan is buried there – and a staggering 30 Everton footballers, managers and officials have been laid to rest in the 57 hectare site – the equivalent of 70 football pitches.
Football historian Jamie Yates, a member of the Everton Heritage Society, has spent time researching, digging up and detailing the identities and whereabouts of Everton relatives who are buried in the cemetery.
It’s a stellar cast.
Dr. James Clement Baxter is one of the founding fathers of Everton Football Club and has served the Blues for more than 50 years, a spell as president, and his grave is a great and imposing monument.
Edwin ‘Ted’ Berry, a founding member of St.Domingo’s FC, Everton player and president of Liverpool FC from 1904 to 1909, also had a giant tombstone.
But Alec Dick, a combative full-back who played in Everton’s first league game against Accrington in 1888, is buried in a schaving path.
Fred Geary, the first great Everton goalscorer to play for Liverpool and then owner of the Fountains Abbey and Westminster pubs, has an undeniable but striking tombstone, while several others are buried under unmarked grass plates.
Everton Heritage Society itself has rediscovered and restored several tombs, and Will Cuff, one of the most important names ever related to Everton, but former director Arthur Ernest Leyland, killed in a twist of fate on Liverpool’s docks in 1897, lies under a bush where it is to know if a tombstone still exists.
Company historian Jamie Yates explained: “Doing some studies was a wonderful way to stay busy and disconnect the blockade, helped me through my very active six-year-old Enid on his reliable scooter!
“In parallel to updating the grave database and prowling cemeteries armed with a clipboard, I made a useful touch on Twitter, who shared some of his own discoveries, adding pruning a bush to unearth Edgar Chadwick’s beautiful tombstone in Blackburn and the tomb of the wonderful Victorian Nick Ross in Preston.
“I’m also publishing some articles about characters I ran into in my studies that have compelling life stories.”
Anfield Cemetery was the site of Liverpool’s first crematorium, and only England’s fourth, it contains 12 buildings boasting Grade II listed status and cost £1.5million to build in 1861 when Thomas D Barry won a competition to design it, the commission was subsequently awarded to William Gay – then he resigned and Edward Kemp completed the design!
Carlo Ancelotti’s Everton is looking to get started and another summer is underway at Goodison Park.
Marcel Brands will be a busy man as he looks to strengthen Everton’s squad in the transfer window.
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The list, so far, of Everton players, directors, presidents and gardeners who are buried in Anfield Cemetery includes:
1. Edward Askew BAINBRIDGE
2. William Edward BARCLAY
3. Dr. James Clement BAXTER
4. John Watson BELL
Fifth Edwin BERRY
6. John James Blacklaw BORTHWICK
Seventh John CRELLEY
8. William Charles CUFF
9th JOHN DERMOTT
10th Alexander DICK
11th Dr. John Elliott DIMOND
12th John Macdermaid DONALDSON
13. James Elliott MORLAND
14th George Farmer
15th George Spink FLEMING
16 Fred GEARY
17 Andrew GIBSON
18th Robert JAMIESON
19. Charles James JOLLIFFE
20. Louis Alford Theofilus KELLY
21. Arthur Ernest LEYLAND
22. George MAHON
23. Thomas Herbert McINTOSH
24. James Andrew McMILLAN
25. William Marr ORR
26 by Hugh POLLOCK
27. William James SAWYER
28 by William SCOTT
29. Alfred Riley WADE
30. Thomas Angus WHITE
31. Thomas CORRIN
32. Robert Percy DEPLEDGE
33. James DUNN
34. George MOLYNEUX
35. Richard MOLYNEUX
36. Ernest PINKNEY
37. Thomas ROBSON
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