HISTORIAN and former Belfast Lord Mayor Tom Hartley has presented a new documentary exploring the lesser known histories of the City Cemetery.
Opened in 1869, the Cemetery is a rare surviving example of a Victorian “Garden Cemetery”, and is one Belfast's true heritage gems.
The city’s first municipal burial ground, it was designed with a host of beautiful features intended to inspire peace and reflection.
The main pathway around the original cemetery was laid out in the shape of a bell to represent Belfast. The cemetery is the final resting place of a variety of notable historical figures including Sir Edward Harland of Harland and Wolfe and boasts a number of unique architectural features such as the Central Steps and Victorian Fountain.
The City Cemetery is currently undergoing a significant investment from Belfast City Council and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, aimed at restoring many of the cemetery’s historical assets and opening up the site to more visitors.
Now a new documentary is seeking to reveal some of the fascinating histories of the City Cemetery.
Presented Tom Hartley, whose book ‘Written in Stone’ is the authoritative text on the City Cemetery, the documentary takes visitors on a virtual walking tour of the Cemetery, stopping off at notable graves and locations along the way.
The documentary reveals the story of important and prominent figures of the past such as Margaret Byers, the founder of Victoria College, and Elisha Scott, the Belfast man who found fame as goalkeeper for Belfast Celtic and Liverpool in the early twentieth century and was also Belfast Celtic's most famous manager. It also uncovers some of the tragedies of the past as reflected in the grave of the Ulster Female Penitentiary and the Poor Ground were over 80,000 souls lie in unmarked graves.
Belfast Celtic star goalkeeper Elisha Scott
Film Producer and Director Kerry Rooney, of local production company Kaleidoscope, said the team had an "incredible time" as they worked to reveal “a treasure trove of stories that reveal the amazingly rich history of Belfast".
"We couldn’t have made this film without Tom, he literally wrote the book on the City Cemetery and he is such a terrific host," she said.
"His passion and enthusiasm for the subject really comes across and he is a natural in front of the camera.”
Ms Rooney added: "“There’s so much history stored up in the City Cemetery this film barely scratches the surface of everything there is to see and discover. I would invite everyone who is interested in history to watch the film and then go and explore the Cemetery for themselves.”
The documentary, Written in Stone, is eponymously named after Mr Hartley's book, and was produced with help of funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The documentary is currently available to view for free here:
