Otahuhu Catholic Cemetery Free Space page

Location: Hutton Street, Otahuhu, Auckland, New Zealand
Surnames/tags: Cemeteries New_Zealand Auckland

About

The Catholic Cemetery at Otahuhu is also known as Hutton Street Cemetery.

In 2012, there was an incidence of illegal dumping of fill in the cemetery, that damaged graves, and prompted remediation. The north–south trending gully that bisects the cemetery had been partly filled with soil, concrete and other miscellaneous demolition materials from the dumping. The cemetery was identified as an archaeological site, with likely evidence of pre-European occupation.

Following the submission of a Cemetery Conservation Plan the Diocese commissioned CFG Heritage Ltd to monitor the partial removal and contouring of the remaining fill, and the installation of storm water drainage in the Hutton Road Cemetery.

See CFG Heritage report on the background and remediation.

Prior to the CFG survey of the cemetery there had been three previous surveys of the cemetery, one by Father Murphy during the early 20th century, another by Croker and Knight in 1986 and another of unknown date. Father Murphy, while in charge of the parish, mapped and recorded the cemetery as it was at the time, and his map was updated in later years by others.

The survey by CFG and the consequent report notes the following comments on the condition of the cemetery:

Most of the plots within the cemetery show signs of damage. Other than the damage caused by the unconsented dumping, the cemetery exhibits general wear and tear that is expected within a historical graveyard, as well as a signifi cant amount of damage attributable to vandalism. Many markers are missing crucifixes, and there are headstones that appear to have been deliberately knocked over.
There is also damage in the cemetery due to natural disturbance. The natural slope of the gully and general ground subsidence related to decomposition and settling of grave fill has led to cracking and collapsing a number of graves and headstones and other grave items leaning out of vertical. Although there are not many trees within the cemetery, there are some invasive weeds which have also managed to crack and disfigure some of the graves.

HISTORY
Like the Otahuhu Catholic Church, the Hutton Street cemetery was established in 1848. Although the oldest visible gravesite dates to 1861, it is likely that there are earlier unmarked graves present. The earliest recorded burial by the Otahuhu Catholic Church was the infant Charles Coyle on the 27th February 1851 and, although it is not mentioned in the records, the interment is likely to have been at Hutton Street.

Despite these various mapping and recording exercises, there are still plots without headstones that are likely to contain burials but are not otherwise identified.

LOCATION:
68 Hutton Street, Otahuhu (Allot 7 Sec 11 Village of Otahuhu)
Auckland
New Zealand

GPS Coordinates: -36.94361, 174.84901

Interments

A table of interments will be placed below for the entering of information of individuals who have profiles on WikiTree.

Buried in the cemetery is Reverend O’Hara, who was one of the first priests of the Otahuhu Parish. He took charge of the parish in 1863, which at the time extended as far south as Pokeno. He took regular missionary trips to Helensville, Puhoi, Dargaville and Whangarei, until his death in 1899.