Last Thursday I went up to the cemetery armed with a stake and a hammer ….. and before anyone says it, no I wasn’t vampire hunting – I also had a makeshift plaque and a tape-measure.
I was there to meet up with Katrine Smith, the Cemetery Officer from Teignbridge. She came clutching two maps which were the plot maps from two areas of the cemetery marked as “F”.
We were in search of the unmarked grave of Mary Bowden, the first person to be buried in the cemetery on 4th February 1856.
It turned out I didn’t need the tape measure since Katrine was skilled in pacing the area and ‘feeling’ the ground to ascertain whether there was actually a grave at the spot we were standing on. We meticulously cross-referenced the spot against nearby marked graves so that there could be a cross-check later, back at the office.
One hour later, SUCCESS!! We were 99% certain that we had identified Mary Bowden’s grave and planted the stake and plaque in the ground there. Katrine double-checked the records later and confirmed the location of plot F51.
A job well done.
It would be nice to mark the spot a little more ceremoniously in the future – perhaps with a special memorial plaque.
In the process we came across the adjacent grave which had been purchased 50 years after the original interment and with a headstone erected at that time – it looks like there might be an interesting story there for the future.
Teignmouth Old Cemetery 
Job well done , but we cleared a grave close to the chapel I think 2015 of George Best died 1848 10years earlier , also his wife in the 1860s and son 1920s ,it could be explained by the fact that the parents death was being recorded but not buried there, I also wonder if being 0n the edge of town whether an earlier burial ground was there before the area was designated an official cemetery in 1855 ? The position of Mary Bowden’s grave from your picture seems in a very random position in the midst of later graves , to me it lacks any for thought or design which you would expect from a new cemetery ,perhaps at that time pathways were planned differently to todays layout or earlier records not kept prior to 1855 .Maybe someone has the answer .???
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Thanks Wendy. You’re right about the apparent randomness of burials – I had the same conversation with Katrine. There’s no obvious reason why they started at F51. Also the subsequent graves don’t follow in plot sequence. There must have been some logic at the time so if we can find any contemporary documentation we might find an answer. One thought is that purchasers of graves may have been given a choice so the plot sequence wouldn’t necessarily be adhered to. There is also a distinction between adult and child graves which might break any sequence. But who knows?!
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Another puzzle Neil, the cemetery was opened in 1855, it is inconceivable that no deaths and interments took place until1858 , I believe Mary was a pauper if she had not been christened she would not be in consecrated ground as babies and children born to unmarried mothers were not either . Cemeteries were divided to cover most religions and non religious areas as we know from the areas in front of the lodges. I wonder if John Silverman has some info we can squeeze out of him . Mary is obviously the first on council records but I do not think the first to be buried there , perhaps we can find other graves with early dates eventually and a bit more pre 1855 history . Some local people may still have old death certificates worth a try .
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Hi I think the earl and finch grave is my relation i will have to check with my tree.. If so the finch’s of Teignmouth have a direct link to Edward Heath
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I can confirm that Thomas finch is my 4x great grandfather which I have a death certificate and burial record for.. What a great find.. I shall be visiting. Thank you
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Hi Fiona. That would be amazing! Let us know when you’ve checked. I
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Hi Fiona. So what is the link to Edward Heath? The grave record showed that the plot was purchased retrospectively by Maitland Earl, I believe in 1908, who erected the headstone, which is why the chronology appears wrong on the headstone.
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How wonderful what a great start ,what date was his death ? well done ,
hopefully we are on the brink of great discoveries for Neil to unravel and write about .
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Hi the link to Edward Heath comes from Thomas Finchs Wife Mary Heath, a family member has researched this more and has a family tree so I will get in contact, I think Jane Heath’s sister is Edward Heaths Great Great grandmother. Maitland Earl is the grandson of Thomas Finch and whose parents are the Henry and Jane Earl. Maitland owned properties 8 coombe road in which he grew up then later owned.. and 8-10 Willey lane (not sure if Willey Lane is in Teignmouth) he died in Fulham in 1918..he is mentioned in the Trade Union list form 1893 – 1904 but it does not tell me much on the document. Thomas Finch baptised 8 November 1780 at West Teignmouth(St James) died on 3 February 1856 of Paralysis at Coombe road, which he had for 2 years it states on his death certificate that he was a builder, he was buried on the 9th February 1856 according to the West Teignmouth parish file..I hope this helps. This grave is now the oldest grave in my family heritage..i would like help sometime in located a few more 18th century graves that I have not yet found..Regards Fiona
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Sorry for the error in
saying Jane Heath it was meant to be Mary
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It now seems evident that the cemetery was in use prior to 1858 ,and as you have mentioned the Parish , they may well have been the landlords prior to the acquisition by the council but also land owners and farmers were able to gain revenue from providing burial grounds , so now it is more than possible that other long standing Teignmouth families may have the type of records that Fiona has so carefully kept . How about posting on the Oracle for such info preferably in paper form or even handed down family knowledge with names and approximate dates of death of ancestors .
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