Botany Cemetery mystery solved.

Another brick wall smashed to dust!!!

Yesterday I rang the ESMP and spoke to a gentleman and explained my dilemma about William Charles WEBER. He said he could not help me but he would pass on the information to the Records Officer and have him ring me back.

Well, true to his word, the Records Officer rang me back today.

Eureka!!!!!

The records at ESMP for William Charles WEBER, who was interred 19 September 1945 shows a reference to Roll 714. This reference relates to Frederick William WEBBER (Rosina's other brother) who was cremated at ESMP on 28 May, 1945. His grave reference states Grave 0 but also records "ashes into grave 19 September 1945 by D Speechly". The same date that William Charles' ashes were put into Rosina's grave!

The end result is that William Charles WEBER is Frederick William WEBBER.

ESMP will update the online database to reflect the correct information. Thank you ESMP.

So, in Rosina's double grave she is at rest with both her brothers and her devoted husband.

Aunty Jan, my guardian angel in family history, has been pushing me in the right direction so I could solve this information. It is also ironic that it was solved on 30 October 2012 on the eve of the first year of her passing. 

God Bless you Aunty Jan and I look forward to breaking that other brick wall. I know you're working on it.

I miss you so!

Back to Botany Cemetery

Well, yesterday I was at Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park aka Botany Cemetery. They had their open day. The Cape Banks Family History Society was there. The Daceyville Public School Band did a wonderful job entertaining the crowd. The 1st Little Bay Scout Group cooked up scrumptious sausages on a roll. They had a floral workshop, cartoonist, face painting. They also had a display on the new variety of headstones. I was most interested in the new crematorium plaques....very stylish!
They also had tours of the Funeral Home and the Crematorium. I just didn't get time to do these tours but as their open day will be an annual event I hope to do them next year.

So, I was only there a week or so ago but I am still on my mission to find out who William Charles WEBER is and why is he buried in Rosina Maude (WEBBER) MATTHEWS' grave??

Last time I was there I was told that the ESMP could not assist me as the burial was too long ago!! What, 1945 too long ago?? Ok, I'll check it out with Cape Banks as I know family history people are always too happy to assist a fellow historian.

Well I had a chat with the Cape Banks group and they put up a lot of scenarios and suggestions as to where to look. Unfortunately, I had been through them all, so I had hit a brick wall. One gentleman did suggest that the OFFICE should have registers the same as what he had looked at when he had a similar query at Rookwood.

A gentleman dressed in a black suit with the emblem of the Funeral Home on his chest smiled at me, so I had a chat with him about my dilemma and he confirmed that ESMP has very large archives full of registers of burials. He suggested that I come back on Monday and go to the office as it was not open on Saturday. I explained that I lived on the South Coast (3 hour trip each way) and had made phone calls previously and only last week was at the office with no success. So this wonderful gentleman shook his head and gave me the name of the Manager. So can't wait for Monday to make the call.

Off I went to have a look at the new plaques and a lovely young lady employed by ESMP gave me a wealth of information on who and how one can put a plaque on a grave.  Very interesting!!!

Whilst I was there I went to visit Uncle Arthur to take a photo of his grave so I can give to his grandchildren when I meet up with them next month.

A wonderful day!

The Mathews Family

Well, the MATTHEWS side of my family has a few stumbling blocks that I have to get over.


I recently went to Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park, as I know it - Botany  Cemetery.
The purpose was to visit Rosina Maude MATTHEWS, my great grandmother's grave.
As you can see she was a beautiful woman. Unfortunately, she died in 1927 aged 52 years. Rosina was known as Maude but I think Rosina is a beautiful name so I shall, as I have done so for many years, refer to her as Rosina.

When Rosina was 2 years old she arrived in Australia with her parents, John & Harriet WEBBER and brothers, Frederick William, John and Joseph Henry aka Harry.

Rosina Maude WEBBER married Edward MATTHEWS in 1901. They purchased a house at Government Road, Mascot, now part of Sydney Domestic Airport. This house was in Rosina's name only. It appears Rosina was a seamstress and did very well with her earnings. She was also a very generous person as was her husband Edward.


When Rosina died she was buried in a double plot. Edward never remarried. He died 30 years later and was finally reunited with his beloved wife.




In November 1945 Rosina's brother John died and he was buried with his sister. John's wife placed a plaque on the grave.

According to the Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park database there is another person within this grave.
William Charles WEBER was interred  on 19th September 1945.

Who is "William Charles WEBER"???????

If you can help please contact me.