At that time my research suggested the organisation was not active and there were no signs that it had been. I had also tried to contact Lt Col Lake, and was awaiting a reply.

I can now tell you, I am in contact and we have exchanged emails. I can also tell you, the Trust is dormant not dead; it should be registered as a charity soon; a website will be live soon; and plans to revive the project are in the pipeline.

Now that we are in touch with each other I will be able to get progress updates. Any news I will publish here.
Posted in News Tagged: Anthony Lake, Overseas Cemetery Trust ]]> http://britishcemeteryrecife.wordpress.com/2009/02/10/the-overseas-cemeteries-trust/feed/ 0 paulbarnett http://britishcemeteryrecife.wordpress.com/2009/02/01/project-progress/ http://britishcemeteryrecife.wordpress.com/2009/02/01/project-progress/#comments Sun, 01 Feb 2009 15:23:10 +0000 paulbarnett http://britishcemeteryrecife.wordpress.com/?p=120 ]]> We are still at the very start of the project, but next week I hope to meet Mr Dobbin, administrator of the British cemetery Recife, to establish the facts regarding records, cemetery maintenance costs and the current financial position. Also to discuss plans to make a photographic and documentary inventory of the graves.

I am in contact with people at the British cemetery in Salvador, Bahia, who plan to do the same. And, I am researching details and contacts of other British cemeteries in Brazil.

Once catalogued, I hope to coordinate research into the histories of those buried in Recife, and in other cities. Pieced together, the information will help in the writing of a book on the British presence in Brazil. The book project is already attracting interest from experienced researchers and writers.

These projects could both be part of plans to stage a British Week or Month in Brazil; to look at the British presence here: Past (the book) Present (commercial, cultural & Social interests today), and future (the establishment of new commercial, cultural and social initiatives). In the coming weeks I will discuss these ideas with interested parties in the UK and in Brazil.

A further update, following my meetings this week, will follow soon.

Posted in News Tagged: Bahia, Book, British Month, British Week, Mr Dobbin, salvador ]]> http://britishcemeteryrecife.wordpress.com/2009/02/01/project-progress/feed/ 0 paulbarnett http://britishcemeteryrecife.wordpress.com/2009/01/19/hello-world/ http://britishcemeteryrecife.wordpress.com/2009/01/19/hello-world/#comments Mon, 19 Jan 2009 22:30:26 +0000 paulbarnett http://britishcemeteryrecife.wordpress.com/2009/01/18/hello-world/ ]]> The aim of this site is to gather all information about the British Cemetery in Recife, the capital city of Pernambuco, Brazil. It is part of a larger project to document all the history of the British presence in the region.

From January 2009 we will begin an inventory and photographic library of the graves in the cemetery. Once complete we will begin researching the histories of all those buried here.

CONTACTS

• Paul Barnett (Author of this site) paul@pbarnett.co.uk
• Mr Dobbin (Curator, British Cemetery in Recife) sedobbin@terra.com.br

The charity was being established by Lt Col Anthony Lake, a retiring British infantry officer. Having found graveyards in disrepair in Afghanistan he said he felt “an overwhelming urge to work to save these little pockets of history before they are lost for ever.”

Lake conducted some cursory research into who was officially responsible for maintaining the burial places of the men, women and children who lived, worked and died overseas in the service of the British Empire. The answer – no one – knocked him flat and drove him to establish the new charity that the Duke of Edinburgh agreed to support. It is named The Overseas Cemeteries Trust.

Lt Col Lake estimates that there are three million British-era graves in need of repair spread across most of the countries of the world – from the historic war cemeteries of the Crimea, Egypt and Waterloo to the civilian graveyards that record the far-flung trading posts of Empire in places such as Macau and Panama. He planned to start work in India.

The trust which aims to raise funding from corporate donors has a priary aim of preserving the fast-disappearing general historical record for future generations. Lake says, “”The trust is most definitely not about glorifying British imperial history,” he says. “These cemeteries are ‘al-fresco museums’ which, in the modern era of cheap air travel, can become an invaluable historical, genealogical and educational resource.” He also believes, “The people lying in these cemeteries were in many respects the forefathers of globalisation and they may yet play a role in fostering understanding between young people who are growing up in an increasingly global world.”

Having read what sounded like an interesting avenue to explore in Relation to our own project in Recife I tried to get more information from the website address quoted in the article, but the link does not work. I did some more research and managed to track down the email address for Lt Col Lake, and have already emailed him. When I have any news I will post a follow up to this story.

In the meantime you may wish to read the full Daily Telegraph article

The caretaker is available from 8am to 4pm throughout the week, and at weekends and holidays the cemetery can be contacted either through Christ Church or the Administrator at 8813-3222, or 8623-4909 for burials. General security has improved with the developments in the area, and the cemetery itself is a place of peace and quiet. At the office, the administrator attends to the purchase of plots, burials, payment of dues, etc. In cases of emergency, the Chaplain can be reached at the Vicarage, 2539-9488.

General maintenance expenses are covered by donations, annual fees, and the sale of plots. Memorial garden benches can be sponsored at a minimum contribution of R$3.000,00. The benches bear a memorial plaque with words chosen by the donor. To sponsor a bench call the BBF office, or send an email to britishburialfund@yahoo.com.br.

The BBF office recommends approved undertakers or Funeral Services, who also help with the official death certificate. Burial in Brazil normally takes place within twenty four hours of death. Relatives of a deceased British Citizen should register the fact with the British Consulate, and if needed the Consulate will issue a British Death Certificate on the payment of a fee and presentation of the local Certificate and British Passport of the deceased. Certified copies are available 12 months later from the General Registry Office in the UK.

Anyone wishing to be cremated must fill in a specific form and have it witnessed and notarized. Further information can be obtained from the Crematório de São Francisco Xavier, Rua Carlos Seidl s/n, within the Cemitério do Cajú, Tel: 2580-8628. A Christian funeral service can be arranged by contacting the Christ Church office or the Chaplain. Within the Gamboa Cemetery there is a garden of remembrance with a wall for plaques in memory of cremated relatives.

Contact:

Address:  Rua da Gamboa, 181, Rio de Janeiro – CEP 20220324  tel. 2233-4237
Office: Rua Real Grandeza, 99, Botafogo, tel. 2286-7899
Christ Church office: 2226.7332
Chaplain (Vicarage) 2539.9488
Hon. Treasurer: 2274-4506

Further Information from the British Burial Fund

-1 Dec 1855 Augustin Tappenbeck
-1 Dec 1855 child of the above
20 Jul 1855 Joaquim Bensaude - Jew
-1 Jan 1856 Jadha Pimenta of Tangier - Jew
23 Jun 1856 William McCulloch
-4 Mar 1857 J Campbell
-6 Mar 1858 Mrs William Tappenbeck
– — —- James Henderson
25 Oct 1869 Eben Pierpoint Bailey - US?
-7 Dec 1874 Henry Adam Whyte - 22
-7 Dec 1874 Andrew Whyte - 26
– — 1884 W G Potter
20 Aug 1885 Mrs Power - “last burial”

Singlehurst Miller & Co:
18 Jan 1856 W Sedward - apprentice of bark “Emily”
– Apr 1863 H Ch Milton - master of “Rhonda”
18 May 1871 A J Rinder - clerk

Amazon Company:
29 Aug 1857 Capt W G Eades - died 20 Aug 1857
10 Jun 1863 Capt Cook
29 Jun 1873 Henry White

Para Gas Company:
30 Jun 1863 G A Evarist - engineer

New London and Brazil Bank:
12 Feb 1875 James F Stewart

Germany:
27 Mar 1858 Ernest Geist - clerk
– Mrs W Tappenbeck
30 Dec 1860 Senior Clerk of W Tappenbeck
– — —- Charles Harber
12 Mar 1863 Cozen August Jemie
11 Mar 1864 Christowas H Andreo
25 Jul 1864 Fred Haertel
26 Jun 1871 Berthola Stoeffens
26 Jun 1871 Aug. Vehlans
27 Jun 1871 Karl H A Maak
27 Jun 1871 Max Ermler - clerk
29 Jun 1871 John Brunnow - seaman
27 Jul 1871 G Arnelhus - seaman
22 Aug 1871 G Arnchby - seaman
30 Aug 1871 H Hennings
29 Oct 1875 Theodor Schultz
– — —- N Oswald Drisler Optiz
– — 1878 Herman Schneider

Norway & Sweden:
– — —- Thore Baarsen - seaman
– — —- S B Andersen
13 Feb 1873 Nils Olison
15 Mar 1873 Anders Forgersen
– — 1876 Dedrich Deduchsin
– — 1876 Lars Olsen Sorhaaland Billing
– — 1879 Niels P Nielsen

United States:
– — —- H W Blodgett - died 19 Aug 1854
-4 Feb 1856 L Cortrell - seaman - 21 years
-7 May 1856 Channey Hubbard
28 May 1857 S F Baslett - ship master, died 16 May 1857
-4 Mar 1858 T Rolston
– Feb 1862 W Patterson - US Consul for Maranham
– Sep 1862 G Carsen
28 May 1863 Williams - US Consul
– — —- W R Hancock
25 Jul 1871 Lyman - naturalist - disinterred 1873
-3 Jan 1872 Potter
10 Jul 1875 F Cooper
22 Jul 1875 J G Sherlock
29 Jul 1875 R Cooper
30 Sep 1875 Bruer
17 Apr 1876 G Needham
– — 1878 Ward Parneley
– — 1878 C W Banks

• www.cib.inf.br
• britcemba.blogspot.com
• britanicosnabahia.blogspot.com

It is hoped that in Recife we can follow the lead taken by these activities in Salvador, and also encourage similar projects in the other Brazilian cities in which British Cemeteries exist. Collaboration between all projects will enable us to establish a clear picture of the British presence in Brazil, past and present.