Thorntree Cemetery. 

 

The Middlesbrough Urban District Council reports first mention discussions on building a cemetery on the Thorntree Farm Estate on 25.11.1929.  

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The actual site was for a long-time dependant on where an aerodrome was going to be built by the Ministry of Defence which was keen to build a small airfield on the flat land between Thorntree Farm and Cargo Fleet Lane. Negotiations dragged on to no avail and then the council decided to allocate 52,079 acres of Thorntree Farm land for burial purposes. 

 

The Air Ministry later wanted the council to modify their plans for the cemetery but the council refused. The aerodrome was never built despite the council still pondering the idea as late as 1938. 

The cemetery scheme was well underway by the end of 1932 when a borough engineer submitted a satisfactory report on progress. 45 men were employed and the drains were being laid. Fencing had been delivered to divide the cemetery from the surrounding fields. 

 

By late 1933 the cemetery was complete. An inspector passed the project as finished in October. The annual charges had already been worked out as follows: 

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Cleaning Chapel and office 5 pounds 

Coke for greenhouse 10 pounds 

Labour and caretaker 250 pounds 

General repairs 10 pounds 

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Other miscellaneous costs were for the greenhouse, tool house, cold frames, trees, shrubs, seeds, motor lawn mower and wheelbarrow, making an annual total cost of 298 pounds. 

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The cemetery Chapel cost 1162 pounds four shillings and eight pence to build The Chapel contained a small oak table with a plain oak cross and candlesticks. These were considered suitable for use by both the Church of England and the Free Churches who would use the cemetery. The consecration of the Chapel took place in 19.6.1934 and was a joint service held with furnishings bought by the Anglicans. The cemetery lodge was also completed and John Carter became the first tenant, paying 12 shillings rent a week. 

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The cemetery had the same layout as today. In 1958 the roads were remade and resurfaced, minor paths were improved and the store and public conveniences renovated. Additional kerbs were put on the footpaths. 

The area around the cemetery had become used for temporary dwellings, the council authorised this land to be used for future extensions of the burial area. 

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In 1961 concrete beams were put in the lawns to improve the layout. New wrought iron railings replaced the old. Today the fields around the cemetery have been built upon and blocks of flats tower above the grave stones, though the grounds still keep an element of peacefulness despite the busy road nearby.