Blackball Cemetery, Blackball, West Coast

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Blackball , West Coast

Blackball Cemetery

Blackball Cemetery.

Location
At the top of the hill of the main road to the plateau on which Blackball is situated, the Blackball Cemetery Coordinates are: -42.37574, 171.41358. In May 1899 the Grey County Council called for tenders to clear and fence the cemetery. It was not until 1901 that plots were laid out. ^[1]John Baybutt's tender was accepted.^[2] Then in February 1900 it was decided to drain the cemetery to prevent graves from being filled with water ^[3] and in July 1901 it was agreed by the Council that timber in the cemetery be cut down, and in October 1901 that a drain be cut through the cemetery and plots be laid out. ^[4] In December 1902 the Grey County Council handed over the cemetery to trustees appointed by the Government.
^[5]

The Right Reverend Dr Mules, Bishop of Nelson, consecrated the Church of England section of the cemetery in April 1903. The 'Grey River Argus' Correspondent wrote for the benefit of the General Methodist Conference in Christchurch : '...throughout the service there were many "unregenerate" Blackball miners present who evinced their "degeneracy" by standing at attention bareheaded listening to the words as they fell from the white-haired Bishop's lips. And further at the solemn words of the Benediction, every head, irrespective of its individual form of religious Faith, was bowed......it appears to me only too probable that we shall be denied Bible burnings and other signs of spiritual enlightenment .... until such time as our proposed friend, the Methodist missionary, has arrived amongst us.'
^[6]

Blackball
Located at about 29 miles from Greymouth, Blackball is credited with being the birthpace of the New Zealand Labour Party.

Gold: The gold rush in the Moonlight district in 1864-65 led to prospecting in what was later called Blackball Creek. A gold nugget was found in November 1866 and soon after, gold in payable quantities was found in upper Blackball Creek. At the time, this area was known as Garden Gully but as gold continued to be found, it became known as Croesus. As the number of gold miners continued to increase, the difficulties of supplying them with food multiplied. The Plateau (later to be known as Blackball) was used as an over-night stop in the two-day journey from Greymouth. Huts and small store sheds gradually formed a small township.
^[7]

Coal: A major shareholder in the company that started producing coal near the present site of Blackball in 1893, the English Blackball Shipping Company was the origin of the name of the township. In the same year the township of was laid out, and sections were auctioned. After a successful strike in 1908, Blackball miners gained a reputation for being highly unionised and militant workers. A number of the leading strikers subsequently became leaders in the labour movement. The mine workings were nationalised in 1941, becoming the Blackball State Mine. Because of its high sulphurcontent, the coal was hard to sell, and the mine finally closed in 1964, though nearby mines stayed open. ^[8]

North Section of the Cemetery

Burials
'Find A Grave' has 168 Memorials for peope buried in the Blackball Cemetery and 'Billion Graves' has 172 records.

Early Settlers

-from England

Susan Rogers Muir born in1847 in Brixton, South Hams District, Devon, England, died 3 July 1915 (aged 67–68) in Blackball, Grey District, West Coast, New Zealand.

-from Scotland

Jessie Neilson Leitch was born in 1849 in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. She was married to John Malcolm Leitch, who was born 28 June 1845 in Glasgow City, Scotland, 25 Feb 1867 in New Monkland, Lanarkshire, Scotland, United Kingdom. Jessie was 17 and John was 21. They had 12 children. The family first emigrated to Australia and later to New Zealand. John died 23 April 1906 (aged 60) and Jessie died 5 February 1932 (aged 83).

Robert Short was born in Scotland in 1902 and was accidentally killed, age 35 years, on 7 January 1938.

-from Australia

Maria (Chilvers) McDonald was born in 1876 in Belmont, Lake Macquarie City, New South Wales, Australia. Maria married Alexander Wilson McDonald (born 21 February 1871 in Cumbernauld, Dunbartonshire, Scotland, United Kingdomin) in 1894 in Wickham, New South Wales. Maria died in Blackball 15 May 1935 (aged 59) and Alexander died 4 February 1932 at age 60 in Blackball.

Isabel Kernick Williams born in 1886 in Merewether, Newcastle City, New South Wales, Australia, died 10 August 1969 (aged 82–83)

James Outram was born in 1869 in Beaufort, Colony of Victoria. James (31) married May Seaton (17) (born in 1883 in New Zealand) on 9 April 1901 in New Zealand. ^[9] He died 17 August 1926.

Recent Burials

Colin Neil Black, born in 1965, died in Te Nikau Grey Hospital after a short illness, on April 9, 2023, aged 58. A loved son, brother, friend and gentle caring man. A graveside service was held at the Blackball Cemetery.

Neil Black, born in 1938 and buried in 2014.

Colin and Neil Black Graves

Miners

Thomas Lindsay Abbott born in 1890 in England was a married 27 year old shiftman at the Blackball mine. His body and that of John Henry Tipler, born in 1876, Mine Deputy, age 41, whose wife was in Australia, were found in the mine, 30 September 1917 where they had gone to inspect it after a rock fall had killed William Graham the previous Saturday. The dam in the mine was broken and the two men were found in water.

Drowned

John Denis Lyons (38), born 27 September 1870 in Invercargill City, Southland, New Zealand, and Joseph Skinner (38) were drowned in the Grey River 17 October 1907. The memorial on their grave was erected by the residents of the district to commemorate a brave man's deeds in saving life.

John Leith, drowned in the Grey River, son of Mr and Mrs Leitch of Naghere, was buried 9 October 1903. A football banner was placed on his coffin. ^[10]

Fatal Accidents

Robert Gregory, husband of Elizabeth Hancock Hay Kinsella, who died 1 February 1956 in Blackball, was accidentally killed 18 September 1916.A fatal accident occurred near Ahaura on Monday afternoon.'As Robert Gregory and his nephew, “Dick” Ward, who is absent from Trentham on final leave, were driving back from Ahaura to the farm, nearly two miles distant, Ward got out of the. trap and opened the gate. At this moment, through some reason or other, the horse got beyond control and bolted, Gregory being subsequently thrown out and, striking a post, was killed on the spot.The deceased was well known and highly respected, and had resided for years at Blackball. He was 49 years of age. His many friends will be greatly grieved to hear of his untimely end.

George Falconer, born in Waitahuna, Otago in 1878. In August 1904 George severely cut his foot with an axe when he was chopping wood. In June 1905 when he dragging a log with a horse and chain, the hose kicked his hand, seriously injuring him. the fatal accident occurred 7 November when George, age 27 years, left the sawmill in which he was working to bring back a load of mine props along the Soldiers Creek Tramline. Part of a bridge collasped and George was thrown with the trolley load of logs into a deep gully. He was killed instantly. George was a Member of the Loyal Blackball Oddfellows Lodge.

Infants and Children

Elizabeth Ivy Senior, infant daughter of Mary Ann and William Senior was buried 23 April 1903.^[11]

Mary Caldwell, infant daughter of Mr and Mrs Caldwell died 22 April 1903 and was buried 25 April. ^[12]

Joseph William Glasson only son of Mary and Joseph Glasson, born in 1898 and died 27 March 1913 (aged 15). His father, Joseph, died 28 July 1937 age 68, is also buried in the Blackball Cemetery

South West Corner of the Cemetery

Links

• FindaGrave
• BillionGraves
• Grey District Council

Sources

1. ↑ 1899 Newspaper: "Papers Past, National Library of New Zealand"
   Grey River Argus, Volume LVII, Issue 10284, 15 May 1899, Page 3
   Papers Past Article (accessed 27 December 2023)
2. ↑ 1899 Newspaper: "Papers Past, National Library of New Zealand"
   Grey River Argus, Volume LVII, Issue 10295, 29 May 1899, Page 2
   Papers Past Article (accessed 27 December 2023)
3. ↑ 1900 Newspaper: "Papers Past, National Library of New Zealand"
   Grey River Argus, Volume LVII, Issue 10442, 15 February 1900, Page 2
   Papers Past Article (accessed 27 December 2023)
4. ↑ 1901 Newspaper: "Papers Past, National Library of New Zealand"
   Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 10 July 1901, Page 2
   Papers Past Article (accessed 27 December 2023)
5. ↑ 1902 Newspaper: "Papers Past, National Library of New Zealand"
   Greymouth Evening Star, 10 September 1902, Page 4
   Papers Past Article (accessed 28 December 2023)
6. ↑ 1903 Newspaper: "Papers Past, National Library of New Zealand"
   Grey River Argus, 4 April 1903, Page 4
   Papers Past Article (accessed 28 December 2023)
7. ↑ Blackball [1]
8. ↑ Blackball [2]
9. ↑ Marriage Index (New Zealand Government, Historical Marriage Index : accessed 23 March 2024), Index entry for May Seaton and James Outram; Registration Number: 1901/1882
10. ↑ 1903 Newspaper: "Papers Past, National Library of New Zealand"
    Greymouth Evening Star, 10 October 1903, Page 2
    Papers Past Article (accessed 28 December 2023)
11. ↑ 1903 Newspaper: "Papers Past, National Library of New Zealand"
    Greymouth Evening Star, 22 April 1903, Page 2
    Papers Past Article (accessed 28 December 2023)
12. ↑ 1903 Newspaper: "Papers Past, National Library of New Zealand"
    Grey River Argus, 29 April 1903, Page 4
    [https://paperspast.natlib.goBirth 27 Sep 1870 Invercargill City, Southland, New Zealand vt.nz/newspapers/GRA19030429.2.30?end_date=31-12-1920&items_per_page=100&phrase=2&query=Blackball+Cemetery&:=true&sort_by=byDA&start_date=01-01-1868&title=CHARG%2cGRA%2cGEST%2cHOG%2cIT%2cKUMAT%2cLTCBG%2cWCT%2cWEST Papers Past Article] (accessed 28 December 2023)