Reserve No 3676 Hopetoun Cemetery, 2 km north of the town and adjacent to the main Ravensthorpe Hopetoun road was surveyed by Surveyor General Alfred Werner Canning in 1900. The town and the cemetery were gazetted in 1901.
There are two distinct sections within the 4 ha area with seven known graves in the older section, six named graves within a picket fence and some distance away a lonely grave also picket fenced.
Records show the first burial in the older part of the cemetery took place in 1907. Harry Fry, aged 43 years, a bricklayer’s labourer, was burnt to death when his camp was destroyed by fire. Church of England minister Rev WA Wolseley registered the burial
Auguste Hermann (Harry) Waldeau of Dantzic, Prussia, 52 years of age was killed instantly on 17 July 1908 by a falling derrick being shipped for the purpose of landing railway material from the lighter Lala. He was an employee on board the scow. Arrangements for the funeral were taken in hand by the brothers of the local Masonic Lodge. The burial service was wholly Masonic.
Farmer and Scotsman John Cochrane, a 50 year old Catholic, died at sea on board SS Maitland on his return to Hopetoun from Albany on 14 January 1909. He had suffered from a lung disease and excessive vomiting brought on haemorrhage.
Cyril Edwin Bastian, a 3-month old infant, died of convulsions on 16 October 1909. His father, Ernest Bastian was a local butcher living on the Steere River 9 km from Hopetoun. A Roman Catholic priest registered the burial.
Sailor and Norwegian Fritz Moe on the schooner Wolamia was accidentally drowned 8 January 1910 whilst attempting to swim to the Hopetoun jetty to obtain the dinghy belonging to the ship. He was 47 years old.
Englishman Harold Bould, a marine engineer on the Lighter Agnes was killed on 1 December 1910 when crushed to death in a railway accident in the railway yard opposite the Port Hotel. He was knocked over by the cow catcher and the engine ran over him. Age 26 years.
Patrol Linesman on the East West Telegraph Line, Samuel Westcott, aged 48 years was killed at Kuliba 15 km from Hopetoun on 27 February 1917. He received injuries while trying to stop a bolting horse. It is understood that he propped up a ladder on his cart to repair a telegraph pole/line. The horse which was harnessed to the cart bolted when it heard the train whistle. Mr Westcott was thrown to the ground and killed. He left a widow and six children between the ages of six months and 17 years. Names of the older children are recorded as attending the Hopetoun School. Methodist minister AJ Hodge registered the burial.
For many years no interments took place at Hopetoun Cemetery. Bodies were buried at Ravensthorpe. With increased population the newer part of the cemetery was opened in 1974 and has been in use since. More details are available at the Ravensthorpe Museum.
Back to Hopetoun