Thames (NZ): Shortland Cemetery Burial Register November-December 1918

      By chance I was checking a burial entry at the Thames Library, when I noticed the long pages for November and December 1918. It was only then that I realised it was for deaths during the 1918 Influenza Epidemic. While the cause of death for all my not have been influenza, it brings home the reality of the lives the town lost during those hard months 102 years ago. Remembering there would have been others at Tararu and surrounding local district cemeteries. 

The images from the pages are below, with a summary transcription at the end.

Shortland Cemetery Burial Register: 3 Nov 1918 to 30 Dec 1918

The following data has been selected: Date interred / Surname / Firstname / age / Plot

Key: **The link is to the Findagrave Memorial** Correct info in [ ]

Nov 3, BROKENSHIRE, Ethel A, 40yrs, Plot 3669

Nov 10, RADOVANOVICH, Frank, 29yrs, Plot 3829

Nov 12, TWOHILL, John Francis, 36yrs, Plot 2110

Nov 12, MAHER, Patrick, 49yrs, Plot 2937

Nov 12, MAHER, Thomas, Age not recorded, Plot 2939

Nov 12, MCKINNON, Emily Cadelia, 36yrs, Plot 2968

Nov 13, KEOGHAN, Lily Maud, 47yrs, Plot 3422

Nov 13, BRIEN, Edith Lavinia, 41yrs, Plot 516

Nov 13, READ, Margaret R, 35yrs, Plot 3658

Nov 14, TAFFINDER, Robert, 66yrs, Plot 3425

Nov 14, HARRIS, Peter, 82yrs, Plot 3592

Nov 14, NORRIES, Adam, 63yrs, Plot 3891

Nov 14, PETERS, Henry S, 47yrs, Plot 2203

Nov 15, WALKER, Mary, 86yrs, Plot 1194

Nov 15, WILTON, Charles Edwin, 43yrs, Plot 3297

Nov 15, MAHER, John, 38yrs, Plot 2940

Nov 15, DABB, Edward, 63yrs, Plot 139

Nov 16, BULFORD, Francis H, 39yrs, Plot 3677

Nov 16, RIPIKOI, Jane, 12months, Plot 3271

Nov 16, WILTON, Elizabeth H, 44yrs, Plot 3297

Nov 18, WILSON, Daniel, 40yrs, Plot 882

Nov 19, RADICH, Joe, 26yrs, Plot 3832

Nov 19, TAYLOR, Angelina, 37yrs, Plot 3807

Nov 19, BRIEN, Ada Lucy, 16yrs, Plot 516

Nov 19, JOHNSTON[E], Mildred A, 32yrs, Plot 3801

Nov 19, HART, John Edwin, 37yrs, Plot 3804

Nov 20, LINTON, Jessie Emma, 30yrs, Plot 3465

Nov 20, ANTONIA, Abraham, 77yrs, Plot 3461

Nov 21, RAVLICH, Jack, 23yrs, Plot 3828

Nov 21, BOYLE, John Edward, 44yrs, Plot 3675

Nov 22, LIDGARD, Annie M, 49yrs, Plot 3679

Nov 22, BUCKLAND, Charlotte A, 36yrs, Plot 3111

Nov 22, SENIOR, Thomas H, 1yr, Plot 3274

Nov 24, JOHNSTON[E], John H, 40yrs, Plot 3802

Nov 24, GRIFFIN, Patrick J, 38yrs, Plot 3334

Nov 24, LAW, Robert Alex, 49yrs, Plot 3654

Nov 27, HALL, Walter Ernest, 35yrs, Plot 3672

Nov 27, MARTIN, John, 40yrs, Plot 3517 [3870]

Nov 27, KENNY, Alice J, 2yrs, Plot 174

Nov 27, DUNLOP, Matilda J, 51yrs, Plot 3895

Oct [Dec] 1, HOYLE, Edith Ellen, 38yrs, Plot 3590 [3890]

Oct [Dec] 3, BUCKLAND, Alfred J, 45yrs, Plot 3111

Oct [Dec] 4, DOVELL, Dorothy A, 19yrs, Plot 3340

Oct [Dec] 5, MACK, Dallis [Dallas] Lewis, 1yr, Plot 3275

Dec 5, GUBB, Harry Alfred, 46yrs, Plot 3686

Dec 8, TREBILCOCK, Mary, 41yrs, Plot 3470

Dec 8, RICHARDSON, Alexander, 40yrs, Plot 3427

Dec 12, GRAHAM, Samuel, 38yrs, Plot 4002

Dec 13, GAHAGAN, Henry James, 54yrs, Plot 3662

Dec 13, JACKSON, Flora Annie, 37yrs, Plot 3879

Dec 15, RICHARDSON, MaryAnn, 46yrs, Plot 3428

Dec 15, HARDMAN, Elizabeth, 52yrs, Plot 3945

Dec 15, RITCHIE, Amy Edith, 30yrs, Plot 3464

Dec 18, LUDWIG, Dudley, 8yrs, Plot 3379

Dec 20, HOUGHTON, Melbro M, 45yrs, Plot 2139

Dec 21, JONES, Blanche, 37yrs, Plot 4003

Dec 23, COLLINS, Ernest, 34yrs, Plot 1575

Dec 25, DOIDGE, Clara E, 60yrs, Plot 3691

Dec 30, KEATING, George R, 45yrs, Plot 3382

During November - December 1918, there were 59 interments at Shortland Cemetery, Thames. Forty of those were in November!

During these months at Tararu cemetery there were two interments:

George [James] GLASGOW buried 19 November, 73yrs Plot 725A and Richard MURDOCH buried 26 November, 38yrs Plot 292.

This brings the total interments in the two public cemeteries November / December 1918 -  during the Influenza Epidemic to 61. The following months may also have deaths that could be attributed to complications. Also there were Thamesites who passed away during the epidemic who were on holiday / in residence in other parts of New Zealand, who may have been interred out of Thames.

Reference:

Shortland Burial & Sexton Registers, Archives Section, Thames Library.