Cemeteries and Crematoria Week 2022
Cemeteries and Crematoria Week 2022, 31 October – 6 November
It’s Cemeteries and Crematoria week; a chance for us to celebrate the spaces in our community where we remember our loved ones and reflect on those who lived in our region long ago.
In Stratford district, we have seven cemeteries. Kopuatama and Midhirst Cemeteries are open and used today. Midhirst Old, Pioneer, Tahora, Waipuku and Whangamomona cemeteries are closed to burials, but you can visit and walk through the grounds at any time.
We often think cemeteries are places of sadness, but the peaceful, outdoor settings and the history and memories they contain, means we can engage with them in many ways.
Join the volunteer gardeners at Midhirst Old Cemetery
Keen gardener, Clare O’Connell, has started a group of local volunteers that plant flowers and greenery around Midhirst Old Cemetery. Clare wants to create a beautiful, flower-filled environment for people to remember their friends and whānau, and says the act of gardening itself can be very therapeutic.
“I thought when people are visiting their loved ones, they might want to do a bit of gardening as well. It’s such a peaceful activity,” says Clare.
Wharehuia and Midhirst Gardening Circle have joined in with the gardening of empty plots. Areas they’ve planted are marked with colourful wooden sticks. While the plants are small now, it’s only a matter of time until the Midhirst Old Cemetery is awash in spring and summer colour.
Do you want to volunteer your time, or donate seeds and plants?
Please contact Melanie McBain, Parks and Reserves Officer, at 06 765 6099 or MMcbain@stratford.govt.nz and your details will be passed on to Clare.
Did you know?
The earliest confirmed burial in our district was in December 1882 at the Midhirst Old Cemetery. For some time, it was the district’s only cemetery.
Search the cemetery records
Cemeteries opened in Stratford district from the 1880s. If you’re researching your genealogy or whakapapa, or you’re interested in the region's history, visit our Cemetery Records Search at Stratford.govt.nz. We have records available online, starting from 1890.
Read more about our cemeteries
Visit Stratford.govt.nz/our-district/cemeteries to read more about the cemeteries in our community.
