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East Greenwich Pleasaunce cemetery

 
Five separate areas in East Greenwich Pleasaunce contain the remains of veterans of various eras, including veterans who had served in:

  • the Battle of Trafalgar
  • the Crimean War
  • World War I
  • World War II.
Most of them had belonged to these naval units:

  • the Royal Navy
  • the Royal Marines
  • the Royal Naval Reserve
  • the Royal Naval Voluntary Reserve.
Others buried here had served in the Merchant Navy or the other Armed Forces.

Learn about the cemetery's history

Burial plots

The burial plots are for the most part located in five separate areas:

Main area

The largest area is that of the mass re-interment of 1875.

This area is on the west end of the park between the main gate and the One O'clock Club. It is marked by a number of white posts in the grass.

On the wall, there is a memorial tablet with a dedication to the three thousand men interred.

More about the memorial tablet

South of the mass grave

'Ratings and seamen' are buried here.

East of the mass grave (centre of the park)

Naval officers are buried to the east in accordance with naval etiquette.

South of the officers' graves

In this area is buried those with connections to the Greenwich Hospital and Royal Hospital School.

Further east

In another area near Halstow Road lie personnel classified as 'Others'.

Notable people

Among those buried at East Greenwich Pleasaunce are:

  • Lieutenant James Berry (d.1930), curator of the Royal Naval Museum for 17 years

  • James Shepherd (d.1907), for 18 years Queen Victoria's Boatswain's Mate on the Royal Yacht Victoria and Albert

  • Anthony Sampayo, French Ambassador to England

  • Admiral Sir Astley Cooper-Key, first Admiral President of the Royal Naval College; he was First Sea Lord from 1879 to 1855

  • Captain Henry Parker, Royal Navy, a Midshipman at Trafalgar

  • Mark Halpen Sweny, Royal Navy, of HMS Colossus, at Trafalgar

  • Sir John (Dr) Liddell, Director General of the Medical Department, Royal Navy.

Service of Remembrance

The Greenwich branch of the Royal Naval Association holds an annual Service of Remembrance, on the Sunday nearest to 21 October (Trafalgar Day).

The Association placed a memorial ‘To the memory of all shipmates’ in the Pleasaunce in 2003.

Return to East Greenwich Pleasaunce main page

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