25 years of the Friends of Waikumete

Friends of Waikumete recently celebrated 25 years of contributions and improvements to some of the historical highlights of Waikumete Cemetery. Covering 108 hectares, Waikumete is the second largest cemetery in the Southern Hemisphere. It is the final resting place for over 70,000 people.

The Friends group has undertaken some major projects over its 25 years, including the successful campaign for the return of the plinths from George Boyd’s grave and the restoration of the Wallis Angel, the headstone of Dr James and Elizabeth Wallis.

A special project for Barbara Harvey, a long-time supporter of the Friends, was the installation of a headstone and photograph on the previously unmarked grave of 14 year-old Robert Hale who died with his mother Eileen Hale in the 1953 Christmas Eve Tangiwai train disaster. Friends of Waikumete’s research into Robert’s life tracked down childhood friends who travelled to Auckland to celebrate the unveiling of the headstone and pay tribute to a friend who had departed 50 years ago.

The Friends has also undertaken research into the identity of some of the World War I soldiers in unmarked graves as well as many of the other people buried in the cemetery. These projects have revealed fascinating insights into the lives and deaths of those who were instrumental in the making of Auckland.

Barbara Harvey and Gayle Marshall, both Friends stalwarts for much of the last 25 years, jointly compiled the book Whispers the Wind in 2017, with help from researcher/historian Lisa Truttman. The book is a snapshot of the lives of several soldiers who were interred at the cemetery between 1881 and 1918.

Both Gayle and Barbara are passionate about the lives of those who are buried at Waikumete and they would love to see more people taking an interest in the upkeep of the headstones and surrounds of the family plots.

Gayle remembers that a local school once had an ‘adopt a grave’ programme, a special way of honouring the history of a person who lies at Waikumete. Perhaps this could be one way for schools to make history real as the new ‘Aotearoa NZ Histories’ school curriculum evolves.

The cemetery is a beautiful place to wander, to contemplate life, and to commemorate those no longer with us.

As we move into summer, the cemetery will become a mass of wildflower blooms. The ecology of Waikumete is highly significant. In addition to the multitude of wild flowers, many of South African origin, other parts of the cemetery contain locally significant scrub and gumland ecologies where species such as Dracophyllum sinclairii and rare native orchids and carnivorous plants can be found. Auckland botanist Alan Esler has described Waikumete as “a wonderland of intermingled plants from three separate regions of the world.”

In reality, there are less than 10 years of interment space left in Waikumete Cemetery and it is important that, when it is no longer a current cemetery, the area is still maintained. There is only so much the Friends can achieve within such a large facility: the input of the whole community, especially those who have loved ones in the cemetery, is important.

Friends of Waikumete holds regular meetings and works on grave and headstone restoration and cleaning. Working with Council and Cemetery Management, they are the voice of the community and provide input to the council on the cemetery and its uses.

– Fiona Drummond

Cutting the 25th celebration cake.

Whispers the Wind tells the stories of the early soldiers who lie at Waikumete.

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