Kirk Braddan Graveyard

The rapid growth of Douglas during the 18th Century had the effect of filling the churchyard of old Kirk Braddan to bursting point. By the 1830's, and especially after the Cholera epidemic of 1832/3 and the small pox of 1836/7 it was obvious that new ground was required.

Manx Liberal 29 October 1836 reported on a vestry meeting held to consider the state of the graveyard. A motion to charge £1 per grave was proposed but was not seconded. It was reported that Mr Wulff's vault was allowed to remain but no more until ground was further extended. The parish was grateful to Sir John Buchan for a small piece of ground to be added. Each grave to be 7 feet deep and in the new part in parallel lines. Mrs Crellin and John Crellin gave new land for a pinfold allowing old one then to be annexed to the churchyard.

In Manx Liberal 20 Dec 1837 the following letter appeared:

TO THE EDITOR OF THE MANX LIBERAL.

Occupet extremum scabies.

Sir,-Allow me through the medium of your widely circulated columns, to draw the attention of your numerous readers to the absolute necessity of an immediate enlargement of Kirk Braddan church-yard.

The limited size of this burying ground compared. to the large and rapidly increasing population for whose last resting place it is appropriated, must hare been long ago apparent to the most superficial observer, but since the great mortality which has recently occurred in Douglas and vicinity, by the prevalence of that fatal epidemic, the smallpox, It is really revolting to human nature to contemplate the immense number of graves which crowd this small patch of ground,-every inch of which seems now to have yielded to the mattock and spade of the gravedigger; and not less than three or four. have to be interred daily in this modern Golgotha, already completely filled with the spoils of death. It is a matter of surprise how this has been hitherto effected without encroaching upon those graves wherein the cholera patients were interred.

It; would, Mr. Editor, be an idle waste of time and space, to say more upon the subject, in order to arouse the attention of those who may have it in their power to assist in effecting the immediate enlargement It is enough that the necessity for it is known to exist ;-common decency and respect for those consigned to the tomb, plead sufficiently powerfully. I hope, therefore, that some influential individual will take up the subject, and lose no time in having this wretchedly circumscribed, but beautifully romantic cemetery made more capacious. I should think it neither difficult to procure ground nor the requisite funds in such a wealthly parish as Kirk Braddan.

. Your's, truly,

Douglas, Dec 20, 1837. Pro Bono Publico.

A New ground was established in 1848.