By David Rushton, August 2025, from Bulletin 6/2025

An intrepid group, ably led by Max Solling, gathered at the Old Fire Station for a bus trip and guided walk around Rookwood Cemetery. The weather was fine and we enjoyed a very informative tour through many of the oldest sections of the cemetery, commencing with the Anglican section, through the Jewish, Independent, Old Presbyterian, Chinese, and Old Wesleyan sections, stopping only for a splendid lunch.

Near the James Barnet memorial (Photo: Phil Young)

Guided by Max, we visited the graves of several prominent Sydney and Glebe identities of yesteryear.

These included in the Anglican section David Mitchell, founder of the Mitchell Library; Samuel and Anthony Hordern of the famous department store family; prominent Chinese merchant Quong Tart; and Isaac Nicholls, a convict who became the first postmaster of the Colony.

Most notable in the Jewish section are the grave of Alexander Barnard David, for 41 years the Chief Rabbi of the Great Synagogue, and the Holocaust Memorial designed by Harry Seidler.

In the Old Independent section we noted the graves of Sir Hugh Dixson KB, generous donor to the Australian Museum; Ambrose Foss, chemist and alderman after whom the Forest Lodge street is named; and David Jones, founder of the department store.

After lunch we visited the War Cemetery where the graves of 732 service men and women are found, many of whom had died in Concord Rehabilitation Hospital, a memorial for WWII casualties cremated without proper commemoration, and the NSW Garden of Remembrance.

In the Old Presbyterian section we came across the imposing Frazer Mausoleum, built for merchant and philanthropist John Frazer, and the grave of the formidable clergyman John Dunmore Lang.

The Wesleyan section yielded George Allen of legal and Glebe fame, a number of interesting missionaries to Tonga, and Tongan expatriates.

Our tour concluded at the Catholic section with Michael Joseph Conlon, Glebe alderman, potter and apparently keen lawn bowler; the massive Celtic Monument – all 10 tonnes of it – in honour of Timothy Maher, pastoralist and auctioneer; and finished, if not with a cleansing ale, at least in paying homage to John Toohey the (still) famous brewer.

We returned to Glebe tired but rejuvenated. Our thanks to Max for an illuminating tour.