Historic Moggill Cemetery
The cemetery land was originally owned by Joseph Lewis, a solicitor from Gloucestershire in England, who came here in 1849 as one of John Dunmore Lang’s immigrants aboard the Lima. He bought the 33-acre portion 8 here in 1851 and turned over part of the land as a burial ground. Joseph’s daughter, Emily Ann Roper, was the first recorded burial on 29 March 1856. Joseph himself was buried here in 1858.
The cemetery was officially sanctioned under the Cemetery Act of 1865 and in 1921 placed under the control of a board of trustees comprising John Anstead, John Bird (both buried at Moggill), Fred Sugars, Maurice Doyle and Norman Sexton.
A 12 acre subdivision of the land was resumed from portion 8 in 1922 for the cemetery and control passed to Brisbane City Council in 1932. The first recorded burial in the Council register is Thomas William Bainbridge on 8 January 1932.
Moggill Cemetery Location
The Moggill Cemetery is located at 3132 Moggill Road, Bellbowrie.
Grid reference: 270 33’33” S, 1520 ‘53’26” E.
Moggill Historical Society has been instrumental in having many of the surviving headstones repaired, cleaned and restored via Brisbane City Council grants, as well as community working bees run by the society.
This project is proudly funded by the Lord Mayor’s Better Suburbs Grants
from Brisbane City Council.
Anstead Headstone
Anstead headstone before and after restoration (courtesy of Neville Marsh).
Inscription:
William Anstead Born 31.3.1904 Died 11.8.1989
Violet Anstead Born 1.2.1900 Died 3.10.1985
Raymond John Anstead Born 8.12.1947 Died 15.2.1979
Sugars Headstone
The Sugars family headstone before and after restoration (courtesy of Neville Marsh). The inscription on the front face is now clearly legible.
Inscription:
In Loving Memory/of/SOPHIA SUGARS/DIED 23rd SEPTR 1914
Also THOMAS SUGARS,/DIED 11th May 1915/AGED 80 YEARS
LONG DAYS AND NIGHTS THEY BORE IN PAIN,
TO WAIT FOR CURE ALL IN VAIN,
BUT GOD ALONE WHO THOUGHT IT BEST
DID EASE THEIR PAIN AND GIVE THEM REST
Since 1856, around 150 people were buried here, the last being John Bird in 1982. Unfortunately, many of the memorials and headstone were vandalised in the late 1970s and as a result, the exact location for 100 or so burials is not known.