Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park has an extraordinary history, created as one of seven Victorian London cemeteries for a growing metropolis and now listed as one of London’s ‘Magnificent Seven’ cemeteries. More than 350,000 people are buried here, and there are some 47,000 monuments – many in poor condition due to the original quality of the materials, the passage of time or human actions (or inaction).

The Cemetery Company was operational from the 1840s to the 1960s. Within the gravestones and the archives, we can discover fascinating insights into the history of the borough over the last century. This is largely the story of the East End and of the working classes, but is also an international story given the cemetery’s proximity to the docks. 

The cemetery park remains a site of interest for local historians and for people searching for relatives buried here. It also offers ample opportunities for local residents to learn and reflect in the space. 

The cemetery was closed to burials in 1966 and the site became a designated Park by an Act of Parliament. Before the Friends became active in 1990, the space experienced periods of neglect and decisions that have left a lasting impact. This is a history we continue to document and share, and our works hope to address.