King's Lynn Borough Council Cemetery (south)

Image: © Evelyn Simak Taken: 30 Apr 2011

The tall monument seen in the background marks the grave of engineer Frederick Savage (d 1897). He began his career at sixteen, working for Thomas Cooper who was a Whitesmith and Machine Maker, and later for John and James Gill who were Millwrights and Machine Makers, where he gained a considerable amount of experience and knowledge about the manfucture of farm implements with the firm. After his marriage he took employment with Charles Willett, a "Brazier, Whitesmith, Iron Monger, Wholesale and Retail Dealer, Tinplate worker, and Bell Hanger". After Mr Willett's retirement, Frederick Savage set himself up in business as a smithy. The business grew and by now Savage referred to himself as "Engineer and Agricultural Machinist" Frederick Savage was appointed as "Justice of the Peace" (JP) and was Mayor of King's Lynn in 1889-90. A monument to him was unveiled on the 27th of May 1892 - it is the only monument to a public man in Kings Lynn. The cemetery was opened in 1846 as a non-denominational extension to one of Kings Lynn's churches and then came under the control of Kings Lynn Burial Board in 1855, being one of the first municipal burial grounds in the country. The site is bisected by Hardwick Road and covers some 20 acres. It retains much of its arboretum layout. The chapels (still marked on OS maps) were demolished in the 1970's. The northern sections contain burials belonging to the parish of All Saints whereas the burials in the southern sections belong to the parish of St Margaret. Some of the sections are on un-consecrated ground, and one section has been given over to Roman Catholic burials.

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