Opened by the Burial Board in 1897, Croydon Cemetery was made as an over-spill to Queen's Road Cemetery (q.v.) in response to the growing need for more burial spaces. The cemetery has been enlarged twice, in 1935 and 1937, the later enlargement when Croydon Crematorium was built. An axial drive from Mitcham Road entrance runs through the simply planned cemetery comprising a grid of paths dotted with a few specimen trees including Deodar Cedar, Acacia, Corsican Pine, Lebanon Cedar. Shrubs include Laurel, Holly and Yew. A double avenue of Lime runs down the north-west (1935) extension. Buildings include the tile-hung lodge, brick Gothic chapel and crematorium, and the cemetery has brick walls with railings and stone dressings. The north east part of the cemetery around the crematorium has a more elaborate layout with formal gardens, pond, winding paths and drives. Croydon Crematorium was built in 1937, later extended in 1962 when the east chapel was added. Hugh Meller comments: 'both buildings rise above the customary low standard of crematorium architecture, especially the earlier version in an austere simple Gothic design. Individual taste is allowed to flourish in the cloisters where pink and green onyx memorial tablets have sprouted like a nasty rash'. Noteworthy memorials include the Lanfranc Memorial, a large paved area with raised flower bed and black granite cross to 34 boys and 2 masters from Lanfranc School killed in an air crash in 1961. Captain Leslie Thomas's memorial has a stone model of a 1937 monoplane. Derek Bentley, executed in 1953 for his part in the murder of a policeman, was buried here in 1966; he was subsequently cleared in 1998 and by special permission his headstone is inscribed with the words 'a victim of British Justice'. Others buried here include composer William Hurlstone (1876-1906); Sir Charles Flynn (1884-1938), Deputy Chairman of Customs and Excise 1936-38 and Frederick George Creed, the inventor of the teleprinter.
Mitcham Road Cemetery was awarded the 2011/2012 Green Flag Award, for the third successive year; given in recognition of achieving the national standard for parks and green spaces. Mitcham Road Cemetery and Croydon Crematorium also received a "Winner of Special Awards for Innovation 2011" accolade from Green Flag, a gold award in 2011, 2012 and again in 2013 from London in Bloom. Mitcham Road Cemetery is a late Victorian cemetery, first opened in 1897. It is a flat site covering approximately 43 acres and has extensive areas of old memorials; many of which have been laid flat prior to our existing memorial safety and improvement program. Like many urban cemeteries, Mitcham Road provides a good localized habitat for wildlife in an otherwise largely built-up area. There is a wide variety of trees, bushes and shrubs, and a few areas of grass have been set aside to grow wild. Both green and great spotted woodpecker may be seen as well as the more usual jays, magpies, carrion crows, robins, thrushes blackbirds and green parakeets.
.Message to ALL cache's please use the walkways provided and respect that it is a cemetery and in constant use for ceremonies and visitors . Thank you and Happy Hunting.
This multi is designed to take you round the history of the cemetery. I have found it very interesting researching all the cemetery has to offer sadly I cant put it all in here. Watch out for the Wood pecker I did see a few while placing the caches.
At the first location this is at the co-ordinate of the multi Icon you will need to find the date for D. E. Funnel ordinary signalman. P. N C/Lx 259531 HMS Pembroke 12 November ABCD aged 20
At the second way-point Alderman D. G. Stewart O.B.E., J. P. Mayor Of Croydon EFGH-I
At the third way-point behind the Chapel there is a bench with a plaque "fell asleep" JK th Oct. 71
N 51 J (A+ E+ D). G B (F- E) W 000 (D- E) I. I K C
You need the find ABCDEFGHIJK to decipher the final and it is placed outside the cemetery grounds but not far way.