Orowaiti Cemetery, Westport, West Coast

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

Orowaiti Cemetery

Orowaiti Cemteries Sign.

Location
Across the Orowaiti Bridge on SH 67, in Utopia Road, Westport, West Coast, New Zealand Coordinates: -41.75161, 171.63405. The three Orowaiti Cemeteries are close together: Orowiti Old (Historic) Cemetery; Orowaiti Middle Cemetery (closed for burials) and the current Orowaiti Cemetery. The Orowaiti River is a river of the West Coast Region of New Zealand's South Island. The smaller of the two rivers which run through the town of Westport, it reaches the Karamea Bight three kilometres to the east of its larger neighbour, the Buller River.

Westport
Westport is a river port near the mouth of the Buller River, 99 km north of Greymouth and is the main commercial and administrative centre for the northern part of the West Coast, also known as Buller. The discovery and mining of high-quality bituminous coal near Westport led to the progressive development and expansion of the port. Breakwaters confined the river to a defined channel, with a minimum depth of 4 metres at low tide. Until the railway through the lower Buller Gorge was completed in 1944, one yar after this cemetery was officially opened, all coal was exported by sea.

Westport had a peak population of over 5,500 in the 1950s. It has gradually declined to justover 4,000. Although the output of coal from the Buller coalfield has increased since 1990, the number of people employed in coal mining has declined. Almost all the coal is now transported out of the region by train. The largest employers used to be Solid Energy and the Holcim cement works, which manufactured cement at a plant near Cape Foulwind, from local limestone and coal, but the cement works has now closed.

Orowaiti Cemetery Entrance.

Orowaiti Cemetery Burials
Officially opened in 1943 this cemetery is currently open for interrments and has recently added a new area of plots. 'Find A Grave' has 5,653 records of burials there and 'Billion Graves' has 785 Memorials. The NZ War Graves Project names 9 casualties of war.

Engineer; Race Horse Owner

Charles Robert Bignell was born17 May 1889 in Greymouth, Grey District, West Coast, New Zealand. He was the son of Henry Bignell and Jessie Lennie. In 1911 Charles was a marine engineer living at High Street, Greymouth with his parents and brother Harry. He owned a racehorse called Diction which he bought from H Bagnell in 1911 and sold in 1916 he sold Diction aling with other horses and his trotting traps and gear. By 1922 he was an engineer living at Scanlon's Hotel, Westport. Charles married Margaret O'Callaghan 5 November 1922 at St Canice's Catholic Church, Westport. They had at least one son, Frances Charles Bignell born10 September 1926 in Westport and died 22 October 1994 (aged 68. In 1925 Margaret and Charles were living in Peel Street, Westport. Charles died 25 July 1947 (aged 58) Westport. His wife Margaret (O'Callaghan) Bignell, born 18 August1893 and died 31 December 1980 (aged 87). All three were buried in the Orowaiti Cemetery, Westport.

Mayors of Westport

John (Jock) Watson was born 29 December 1889 in Kinross, Kinross-shire, Scotland, United Kingdom. His father was George Watson, Montgomery Street, Kinross, Scotland. He emigrated to New Zealand from Scotland via London on 1 April 1910. Jock served in the army medical coprs in World War 1: Service number WWI 3/933. John Watson was elected as mayor of Westport in 1956 and remained in office until 1968. He died 25 June 1981 (aged 91) .

William Arthur Gordon Craddock was born 5 February 1907 in Westport. He was the son of Alfred John Craddock and Mary Catherine (Killen) Craddock. He married Ellen Marion McDonnell in 1936. He was elected Mayor of Westport from 1968 to 1977. William died in1979.

John (Jack) Dellaca was the son of Thomas Arthur Dellaca who was born in Australia and died in 1965. His mother was Leonora (Blight) Dellaca who died in1951. John married Jean Marjorie Dellaca who died in 1992. John was mayor of Westport from 1977 to 1983. He died in 1996 . John had two brothers one of whom was Percival Samuel Dellaca who died in1976. All five were buried in the Orowaiti Cemtery.

Miner - Drowned

George Albert Aber was born in 1841 at Mint Street, Bermondsey. He was 9th of 12 children born to William Aber and Hannah (Baker) Aber. The Grey River Argus, 5 December 1868 reported that George Aber has been drowned at the Ohiki River, Buller District. The Westport Times wrote that his brother, Edward Aber, reached town on Tuesday evening. The brothers had been working for some time up the Lyell river. The canoe in which the deceased was crossing was described as having been a most miserable apology for a boat. The crossing-place was very safe one, but the boat was not capable of holding two persons with any degree of safety. The only paddle in use also was a make-shift, a short-handled shovel. George a miner aged 20 was buried 1 December 1868 at Orowaiti cemetery.

Casualites of War

There are 4 Commonwealth burials of the 1914-1918 war and 5 of the 1939-1945 war buried in this cemetery:

Private Donald John William Campbell Veteran was born in about 1899 and was the son of Neil William and Sophia Mary Campbel. He was single and living at of 83 Russell Street, Westport before he embarked 14 Aug 1915-19 September 1915 to Suez, Egypt Next of kin on embarkation WW1 Miss S. Campbell (sister). Army Service number WWI was 6/2106, 1914 - 1918. l, of Westport. He was awarded the British War Medal. After WW1 Donald married Ethel Alice Campbell, of Westport and they had one son. In WW2 he embarked on the 'Willochra'. A Private with the Canterbury Infantry Battalion New Zealand Expeditionary Force his Number was 3/16/67, 1939 - 1941. He was killed in active service 6 April 1941, age 42 and buried in the Orowaiti Cemetery, Utopia Road/State Highway 67, Westport, Buller District, New Zealand AWMM Family Plot. 1429-30.

Edward Westell Catchpole was born in about 1873. Before he enlisted in January 1916, Edward was lvinvg in Blackball. His next of kin on embarkation was Mrs Holder (sister), Seddonville, Westport, New Zealand. He was 6 ft tall, of solid build and weighed 230 pounds. Edward had greenish grey eyes and light brown hair. He was an Episcopalian Christian. A Rifleman in the New Zealand Rifle Brigade, 4th Battalion, Edward was wounded August 1917, his left leg and right arm had severe compound fractures. He was invalided to New Zealand on the 'Tahiti ' and became an outpatient at Westport Hosptial. His wounds made him unfit for employment. Edward died from Influenza 7 Nov 1918, during the epidemic, age 45.

Leading Aircraftman Frank Hayman Goldsmith was born 25 September 1921 in Westport. His mother was Mrs A McCormack of 11a Kipling Avenue, Auckland. Frank was educated at St Mary's School, Westport, then Christchurch Teachers' Training College and Canterbury University College. He enjoyed sports and wass in the rugby second XV at Teacher's College and University. He also took and interest in cricket, boxing, tennis and swimming. Before he enlisted, Frank was emplyed as a teacher and also served from July 1940 until April 1941 as a Sergeant Instructor in the Territorial Forces. He was posted to the initial training wing, Rotorua 2 May 1942 and moved to Taieri six weeks later for his elementary flying training. From there he transferred to Harewood June 16 1942. On 25 July 1942 he was the pupil pilot in a Tiger Moth aircraft that collided in mid air with another plane near Harewood. Both pilots were killed. Edward was buried in the Orowaiti Cemetery, Westport.

Private William Heather was born 29 July 1864 in Liverpool, Metropolitan Borough of Liverpool, Merseyside, England. He had a sister, Mrs. S. Wilkinson, of Southport, Lancashire, England. William was a seaman. His next of kin on embarkation was a friend, Mayor of Westport, Mr Leever. William's Service No: 29988. Regiment/Service: Otago Regiment, N.Z.E.F. and he served during1916-1917. He embarked 16 Oct 1916 - 28 December 1916 to Devonport, Devon, England. The Vessel was Willochra. He was with the 18th Reinforcements, Otago Infantry Battalion, D Company, New Zealand Expeditionary Force. He was awarded the Brirish War Medal. William died from Tuberculosis 25 September 1917 (aged 53), West Coast, New Zealand.

Sergeant Alewyn Jenkins was born in about 1904. He was the son of Thomas and Edith Jenkins, of Westport. He married Florence (Topp) Jenkins, of Lower Hutt. Rank: Sergeant, Service No: 11964. Regiment/Service: New Zealand Medical Corps. Alewyn was listed as wounded in the Second N.Z.E.F. casualty list, June, 1941. He was killed in active service 24 December 1946 age 42

John Ferdinand “Fred” Jolly was born in Hokitika, Westland District, West Coast, New Zealand. He was the eldest son of John and Mary E. Jolly, of Mars Avenue, Edendale, Auckland. In the army - Rank: Driver Service No: 6/2674. Regiment/Service: Canterbury Regiment, N.Z.E.F. Embarkation: WW1 14 Aug 1915-19 September 1915 to Suez, Egypt. Vessel was 'Willochra'. He served in Egypt, 1915-16. John was single when died at Westport 20 June 1918 from the after-effects of fever contracted in Egypt.

Clarence William Jones was born 19 November 1892. His parents were George William and Florence Jones (nee Dowling), of 137, Queen St., Westport. He was a Presbyterian. When Clarence embarked he was single and his next of kin was George William Jones, 137 Queen Street, Westport, New Zealand. Clarence was 5' 7" tall and weighed 137 lb. He was a Bombardier in the New Zealand Field Artillery. His service number was 4/40, Clarence served in Egypt, at Gallipoli and on the Western Front. He also served in Samoa (Source:CWGC). He died 12 October 1920 age 28.

Dudley Edmund O'Neil was born in about1922. Henry was sinlge and his address before enlistment WW2 Pre 1942 was Henley St., Westport. His next of kin on embarkation was Mrs. W. O'Neill, Henley St., Westport . Rank: Gunner; Service No: 249828; Regiment/Service: New Zealand Machine Gun Battalion. Dudley was killed in action 5 February 1947 age 25.

Sergeant Trefor Llewellyn Tyler was born 11 December1923. He was the son of Mr and Mrs I L Tyler of Ngakawau, Westport. He was educated at Granity District High School and Wellington Technical College. He was emplyed as a floor layer by Jones Bros Wellington. Trefor enlisted at Nelson 23 October 1942. He was posted to Rotorua for initial training 4 March 1943, then in April for elementary flying training in Ashburton, next to the Flying training School in Woodbourne, Blenheim where he was awarded his flying badge and promoted to the rank of Sergeant. Service No: 4213641 in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, No. 2 Operational Training Unit. and was posted to the Ohakea Operational Training Unit. He was pilot in a Kittyhawk aircraft when it plunged to the ground at Okakea and he was killed 1 December 1943 age 20.

Orowaiti Cemetery War Graves

Links

• Buller County Council
• FindAGrave
• Billion Graves
• NZ War Graves

Sources