Mount Thompson Crematorium

Mount Thompson Memorial Gardens and Crematorium (formerly Brisbane Crematorium) includes a heritage-listed chapel (the West Chapel), columbaria and other features.[1] It is located on north-western slopes of Mount Thompson in Brisbane, Australia. The street address is Nursery Road in Holland Park. It was established in 1934 as the first crematorium in Queensland.[2]

Mount Thompson Crematorium
West Chapel main entrance flanked by Daphne Mayo's relief sculptures of Grief and Hope (1934)
Former namesBrisbane Crematorium
General information
StatusOpen
LocationBrisbane, Queensland
AddressNursery Road, Holland Park
CountryAustralia
Coordinates27.52684°S 153.07667°E / -27.52684; 153.07667
Website
www.mtthompsoncrem.com.au

History

The crematorium was the first in Queensland and was constructed after many decades of lobbying and public discussion, culminating in a group of citizens meeting and forming the Brisbane Crematorium Limited in 1930. Shares were sold in the company and a suitable site was purchased in 1933.[3]

Early designs were done by Richard Gailey, Junior (the son and business partner of Richard Gailey).[4] However, Melbourne architects Charles and Frank Heath were appointed as the crematorium designers and worked in partnership with Brisbane architects GHM Addison and Son and HS Macdonald who prepared further plans and specifications.[5]

Proposed but unused plans
Mount Thompson Crematorium, early proposed plans for front elevation, 1932.
Mount Thompson Crematorium, early proposed ground plan, 1932

Artist William Bustard was engaged to work on a canvas mural representing the awakening from death which was positioned over the catafalque in the chapel.[6]

Sculptor Daphne Mayo was commissioned to create three relief works, Grief and Hope for the front facade and one of a boy scattering seed, representing the continuation of life, for the original columbarium.[7]

Crematorium artworks
Daphne Mayo working on the sculpture Grief for the Mount Thompson crematorium (1934)
Awakening from death (aka Lifting the veil of convention)

Left: Original mural on canvas being worked upon by William Bustard in 1934 at the Crematorium

Right: Reproduction of mural by Scott Christensen (2008)
The first cremation service 11 September 1934

Mount Thompson Crematorium officially opened on Sunday 9 September 1934.[8] The first cremation service was held on the morning of 11 September 1934.[9] A religious service for Neil Richmond Rose of Wynnum, Queensland was held at 10.30am followed by a non-religious one for Ernest Charles Fletcher of Ularunda Station, central Queensland at 2.30pm.[10][11][12]

During the Second World War, there were 88 Australian service personnel cremated here whose remains rest at the crematorium and are commemorated by Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) memorial here.[13] Another 36 Australian service personnel cremated here whose remains were scattered or buried at places where CWGC commemoration was not possible are commemorated on the CWGC's Queensland Cremation Memorial in Lutwyche Cemetery.[14] They included First World War fighter ace Roy Phillipps who was killed flying while serving in the Royal Australian Air Force in 1941.[15] In addition a Royal Australian Artillery soldier cremated here is, exceptionally, commemorated on the Victoria Cremation Memorial in Melbourne.[16]

Over the years further columbaria and gardens were constructed, adjacent land acquired and facilities expanded. By 1962 an additional chapel had been built, designed by Adrian Pooley.[17] The new chapel was designated the East Chapel and the original, the West Chapel.

Renowned architect Karl Langer received commissions in the 1960s to design a number of new columbaria and to modify the West Chapel including new pews, kneeling rails, a new marble lined pulpit and removal of Bustard's original mural with reworking of the walls and catafalque surrounds.[18]

West Chapel interior 2015

The West Chapel underwent five months restoration commencing in 2007 and reopening in February 2008. The chapel was returned to its original configuration with removal of pews and installation of single chairs as well as restoration of terrazzo flooring, lead lighting and the catafalque and its surrounds. A reproduction by Scott Christensen (https://scottchristensen.com.au/) of William Bustard's original mural painting was also commissioned and installed.[19]

The East Chapel was also refurbished in the 2000s with modern lighting, podium work and contemporary seating installed.[17]

Description

The original 1934 crematorium building is art deco in style. It is a brick structure with stone facings including a portico flanked with stone pillars. It included originally a chapel, mortuary, retort room, columbarium garden, pond and offices. Large arched openings overlook a columbarium garden and pond. The walls of the chapel are lined with a dado of Queensland marble in black and dove grey. The floor is terrazzo with marble borders.[6]

Heritage listing

The crematorium is listed on the Brisbane Heritage Register.[20]

References
  1. "Brisbane City Council Heritage Citation – Mt Thompson Memorial Gardens & Crematorium". Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
  2. "Mt Thompson Memorial Gardens – About Us". Mount Thompson Memorial Gardens. Archived from the original on 19 July 2018. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  3. Nicol, Robert (1994). At the end of the road: government, society and the disposal of human remains in the 19th and 20th centuries. St Leonards, Sydney: Centennial Park Cemetery Trust, Allen & Unwin. p. 353. ISBN 1863737197.
  4. "Cremation for Brisbane". The Brisbane Courier. 2 March 1932. p. 16. Archived from the original on 2 August 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. "At Mt. Gravatt". The Courier-Mail. Brisbane. 25 October 1933. p. 12. Archived from the original on 2 August 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. "The Brisbane Crematorium". The Telegraph (Late City ed.). Brisbane. 5 June 1934. p. 15. Archived from the original on 2 August 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. "The Women's World". The Courier-Mail. Brisbane. 6 September 1934. p. 20. Archived from the original on 2 August 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. "Cremation in Brisbane". The Worker. Vol. 45, no. 2263. Brisbane. 19 September 1934. p. 6. Archived from the original on 11 March 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. "First Cremation in Brisbane". The Telegraph (City Final Last Minute News ed.). Brisbane. 11 September 1934. p. 1. Archived from the original on 2 August 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. "First Local Cremations". The Courier-Mail. Brisbane. 11 September 1934. p. 14. Archived from the original on 2 August 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. "Dignified Simplicity". The Telegraph (City Final Last Minute News ed.). Brisbane. 11 September 1934. p. 8. Archived from the original on 2 August 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. Mount Thompson Memorial Gardens cremation register index, 10 September 1934 – 17 November 1941, the first 5000: A–Z. Vol. 1. Queensland, Australia: Genealogical Society of Queensland Incorporated. 1994. pp. 26, 70. ISBN 1864300191.
  13. "Mount Thompson Crematorium". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  14. "Queensland Cremation Memorial, Brisbane". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Archived from the original on 17 March 2018. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
  15. "Casualty Details: Phillipps, Roy Cecil". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Archived from the original on 17 March 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
  16. "Casualty Details". Archived from the original on 2 August 2022. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  17. "East Chapel". Mt Thompson Memorial Gardens and Crematorium. InvoCare. Archived from the original on 4 October 2015. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
  18. ‘West Chapel alterations July 1962’, ‘West Chapel alterations October 1966’, Karl Langer architectural drawings, [Roll 3/6, R83/3/6], [Roll 21/8, R83/21/8], State Library of Queensland
  19. "Mt Thompson West Chapel re-opens her doors". Involve Invo. InvoCare (13 May 2008): 10. 2008.
  20. "Mt Thompson Memorial Gardens & Crematorium". Brisbane Heritage Register. Brisbane City Council. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
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