Welcome to the Website of the Friends of Darwen Cemetery.
Registered Charity Number 1142815
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Look for the Friends of Darwen Cemetery and request to become a member of the Facebook Group.
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Our 2024 Remembrance Day Services
This year our Remembrance Day Services were held on Friday 8th November and Sunday 10th November 2024
Our Friday Service
Our Friday Service was our School Children Service and we had over 140 School Children attended the service from many of the Schools in Darwen, after the service the School Children went out in to the Cemetery to lay a poppy on all the Commonwealth Graves in the Cemetery.
The below link is a short video taken on the Friday service taken by Mellissa Dabrowski
https://www.facebook.com/reel/8872712019418092
Our Sunday Service
We had around 60 attend our Sunday Service which was open to all members of the public and was attended by a number of our local Scout Groups.
The below link is a short video taken on the Sunday service taken by Mellissa Dabrowski
Thanks to Rev. Terry Young and the service was opened by the FODC Chairman Tony Foster.
everybody at FODC who help organise these two services
FODC November 2024
A Big Thank You
Another huge Thank You to our friends from Capita. Yesterday morning we were joined by Kelly, Diane, Afsana, Emma & Ian volunteering their time. We finished clearing the Nature Garden and laid bark chippings to the beds either side of the stone bench. We also cleared a large section of road/path edges of grass & weeds. A big transformation. 
We look forward to welcoming more friends from Capita next Thursday.
FODC November 2024
The Mystery of Private Thomas Heap
This gravestone is Section C is to the memory of the Holden family and at the foot of the memorial it records the death of Private Thomas HEAP who died in France of wounds received in action July 17, 1916, aged 34 years. His name appears on the Loos Memorial, which commemorates over 20,000 officers and men with no known grave. The CWGC records show – Thomas Heap No 17513 7th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment, date of death July 17, 1916. However, the Darwen News records that a Private Thomas Heap, of 1 Henry Street, died at Netley Hospital on Tuesday from wounds received in action. He was wounded in both legs and arms. He was formerly a carter for Messrs J and W Tomlinson and enlisted in September 1914. The interment is to take place at Darwen.
Are there two Thomas Heaps who both died on the same day? No! The Register of Deceased Passengers arriving at Southampton records that Thomas Heap, 7th East Lancashire Regiment No 17513 died at Southampton Waters. His body was returned to Darwen and his interment took place on 22 July 1916. The CWGC have been informed of Thomas’ final resting, and we now wait for the records to be corrected.
Researched by Tony Foster
For other stories have a look on our story page, click on the below link.
FODC November 2024
Our Last Walk of the Year
We held our final walk of the year on the 26th October, the walk was one of our most popular walks that we held previously back in 2011 and 2017.
This walk was called Torment and Tragedy and describes some of the more gruesome deaths that took part in Darwen.
We had around 45 visitors turn up for the walk around the Cemetery.
A big than you to Tony for his remarkable memory and fascinating talk and the Trustees and Volunteers who helped organise the event making for an enjoyable autumn 
walk.
Thank you to everybody who bought one of our walk booklets or donated on the day we raised £107.00 which will go towards other projects we have coming up in the Cemetery.
Below is a short video that Mellissa Dabrowski filmed during the walk.
Thanks to everybody who took part.
If you missed the walk and would like to purchase this booklet you can buy it for £2.50 you can buy it through this website.
Click on the below link that takes you through to our Booklet Page where you can buy this or any of the other walk booklets that we have held over the years
Tony Foster has researched and collated this booklet.
FODC October 2024
A big Thank You!
A massive Thank You to Roy, Paul, Lou, Jackie & Kath from Capita for volunteering with us this morning. We moved a huge amount of bark chippings to help keep the Ashes & Memorial Garden looking it’s best. Looking forward to meeting more Capita volunteers next week.
FODC October 2024
Hundreds of unmarked graves revealed across Darwen
Read this article from the Lancashire Telegraph and other articles regarding the Friends of Darwen Cemetery that have appeared in the Lancashire Telegraph over the years, click below and this will take you directly to the page.
FODC October 2024
Our 2024 Remembrance Day Services
This year our Remembrance Day Services will be held on Friday 8th November and Sunday 10th November 2024
Our Friday Service is our School Children Service and is attended by Children from many of the Schools in Darwen, after the service the School Children will go out in to the Cemetery and lay a poppy on all the Commonwealth Graves in the Cemetery.
Or Sunday Service is open to all members of the public and is attended by a number of our local Scout Groups.
Both services are held at the World War One Memorial Wall in the Western Cemetery and is a 10.30 am meet for a 10.45 am start.
For Details click on the below image.
FODC October 2024
Getting Ready for the 2024 Remembrance Day Services
On our last working party on Saturday 28th September 2024 we started preparing the area around the WW1 Memorial Wall in the Western Cemetery for this years Remembrance Day services which are on Friday 8th and Sunday 10th November.
Well done everybody!
FODC September 2024
Our second walk in September : Darwen Men at Gallipoli
On Sunday 15th September 2024 we held our 2nd walk on a very wet Sunday afternoon.
The walk explained how some of the men from Darwen and who are buried in the Cemetery who fought in Gallipoli during WW1 and managed to survive the campaign but unfortunately died in other battles or died on their return to the UK.
Thank you to the 15 visitors who braved the wind and rain to make the walk.
If you missed the walk the book can be bought for £2.50 through this website.
We dedicated the book to the 100+ Darwen men who died during the Gallipoli campaign.
Thanks to Tony Foster for leading the walk and members of FODC to help organise the event, and thanks Alan for the photographs.
Photographs by Alan Walton
FODC September 2024
Some of the Graves Completed During September 2024 Grave Maintenance Scheme Working Party
Thanks to everybody who attended the Working Parties on Thursday 12th September and Saturday 14th September 2024 for working so hard on the graves.
Photographs by Jill, Graham, Hanneke & Stephen
FODC September 2024
What a good day for our latest Find A Grave Day
We held our latest Find a Grave Day on Saturday June 2024, we found over 25 graves for 8 groups looking for graves in the Cemetery, luckily the weather was fine after days of rain on the lead up to the day.
Thank you to everybody involved in making the day a great success.
FODC June 2024
Some of the Graves Completed During June 2024 Grave Maintenance Scheme Working Party
Thank you to everybody who helped on Saturday and thanks to Jill & Peter for the Cakes,
Photographs by Paul and Jenny
FODC June 2024
Our Latest Bat Walk
Thank you to Jill, Peter and Liz for all their help organising the event.
FODC May 2024
Footage of our Working Party on the 30th March 2024
Click on the link below to see the video
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mrihmMWeusLMOJU6TjSYAf8-V124yEcZ/view?usp=drive_web
Thank you to Mellisa Dabrowski for the filming of the video.
For other videos or you tube clips click on the link below
https://www.darwencemetery.org.uk/you-tube-and-videos/
FODC April 2024
Planned Events for 2024
To open up the 2024 FODC events click on the link below.
We need you!!
To open up the we need you click on the link below.
Have a look in the 2022 News for news
http://www.darwencemetery.org.uk/2022-news/
2023 Remembrance Services 2023
On the Friday 10th November we were very lucky to have a beautiful day and the sun was shining down on our Schools Remembrance Day Service
This year we hosted 13 of the Secondary and Primary Schools from in and around Darwen with over 140 School Children and Teachers attending.
Our Service was conducted by Rev. Terry Young and the service was opened by the FODC Chairman Tony Foster.
Some of the school children have their photographs taken before the service
The bagpipes were played by Gordon Smith
Tony Foster opening the service
Rev Terry Young conducted the service
Pupils from the 3 secondary schools read the lesson.
The Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen Coun Parwaiz Akhtar and Sir Jake Berry MP for Rossendale and Darwen lay their wreaths
Followed by pupils of the local Schools
On our Sunday 12th November Service which is held for the public and Scout Groups, how different the weather can be from the Friday to the Sunday, the Sunday Service was very cold and very wet, however we still managed to attract over 120 visitors to the service.
John East conducted the service
Representatives from the 3 Scout Groups read the lesson
At 11 O’clock the flags were lowered.
Then after the two minuets silence the Scout Groups lay their wreaths.
Thank you to all the FODC Members who made this all possible and to Glenda for being our contact for the Schools.
FODC November 2023
Stolen QR Code
A couple of weeks ago someone decided they liked our recently installed QR Codes so much they borrowed one.
When viewed with a smart phone the code takes you to pages on our website about the specific place you’re looking at.
This is designed to be educational and to share some history of Darwen Cemetery.
The Codes were created with help from WEC in Darwen. We really hope the QR code proved useful but we’d now like it back please so others can share the experience and history of the Cemetery.
If anyone knows where the missing QR code is please let us know.
Thank You
FODC August 2023
Story of Roger Orrell, one of our War Graves in the Cemetery
A YOUNG MAN PREPARES FOR WAR
FODC July 2023
Our 5th Find a Grave Day Event
On Saturday 24th June 2023 we held our latest Find a Grave Day event, luckily the weather was good and parts of the Cemetery the grass had been cut making it easier in those sections to find the graves.
On the day we had mange to find 22 graves in the Western Cemetery.
Thank you to everybody who took part in the event.
We plan to hold another Find a Grave Day event later on in the year, date to be confirmed.
FODC June 2023
Some Photographs of our Latest Grave Maintenance Day
On Saturday 10th June we had our latest Grave Maintenance Day
We tended to the 35 graves currently in the Scheme on a very hot sunny Saturday which was hard work for those Hay Fever sufferers.
Also made harder was the length of grass at the moment in the Cemetery.
Here are some before and after photographs of graves that were completed on the day.
Other graves completed
Thank you to everybody who took part.
FODC June 2023
Our New QR Codes start appearing in the Cemetery
During April we have started to place QR Codes throughout the Cemetery.
These QR codes will guide visitors to pages on our website to quickly look at the information on their smart phones.
These include the WW1 Memorial Wall
QR codes – World War 1 Memorial Wall
Our Nature Garden
QR codes – Nature Garden
Our Ashes Memorial Garden
QR codes – Ashes & Memorial Garden
The Cross of Sacrifice
QR Codes – Cross of Sacrifice
The row of Commonwealth War Graves
QR Codes – Military Section
Our Chapel Sites
QR Codes – Cemetery Chapels
We intend to place more of these QR Codes on other positions in the Cemetery in the future.
A big thank you to Graham for his hard work driving the project forward and Jill and Paul for putting the pieces together for the website.
We would like to put a big shout out to WEC who made the QR codes for FODC for free of charge.
Have a look for them in the Cemetery, scan the QR Codes to read the stories for yourselves.
FODC April 2023
The return of our two granite maps
The maps of the cemetery are now back in place, and now show the location of the memorial wall.
Thank you for Brent Stevenson Memorials for updating the maps
Photos taken from FODC Facebook Page
Photographed by Alan Walton
FODC March 2023
Winter in the Cemetery
Photos taken by Alan Walton and Graham Ardis
FODC December 2022
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Remembrance Services 2022
Friday 11th November 2022 Service
Our Friday School Service held for the Local Schools were visited by 14 Local Schools and 1 Nursery, we had 81 students with ages ranging from 3 months old up to 17 year old, together with 24 staff.
Gordon Smith playing the bagpipes on the site of the Nonconformist Chapel then made his way down to the WW1 memorial Wall.
Tony Foster (FODC Chairman) Opened up the Service
Rev. Terry Young conducted the Service
A big thank you to Stuart Speakman for playing the Bugle for the Reveille/Rouse before and after the 2 minute’s Silence.
The Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen joined us and chatted to some of the FODC Trustees and some of the School Children.
Some of the Wreaths laid by the Schools and Darwen District Scouts.
FODC would like to thank Terry, Gordon and Stuart for making the event special and to all the schools and nursery for attending the service.
We would also like to thank Sammy from Blackburn With Darwen Council for making paths to all the War Graves this year it was very much appreciated and to all the FODC Members for the hard work leading up to and during the services.
Sunday 13th November 2022 Service
The Sunday Service was blessed with sunshine, the Sunday Service is for the Public and the local Scout Groups.
We had over 70 members of the Public attend this year.
Tony Foster once again opened the Service and John East conducted the Service.
Thank you to both Whitehall Scout Group and St Josephs Scout Group for attending the Service.
FODC November 2022
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REMEMBRANCE SERVICES 2022
Once again we will be holding two Remembrance Services in the Cemetery this November.
The first service will be on Friday 11th November 2022 and will take place at the WW1 Memorial Wall in the Western Cemetery at 10.30 am for a 10.45 am start.
This service is our School Service where we have 12 schools attend this service and following the service the children go out into the Cemetery to place poppies on all the Commonwealth Graves in the Western and Eastern Cemeteries.
The second service will be on Sunday 13th November 2022 and will take place at the WW1 Memorial Wall in the Western Cemetery at 10.30 am for a 10.45 am start.
This service is our Public Service and is open to everybody, this service is attended by a number of the local Scout Groups
We look forward to seeing you! FODC October 2022
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PUBLIC NOTICE
REPARING GRAVES IN SECTION G
The Friends of Darwen Cemetery hope to start work on repairing headstone shortly. We would like to identify people who still tend a grave here and would be grateful if you could let us have your current contact details.
Please telephone the Cemetery Office on 01254 202021 and give them your details.
Headstones were repaired on Section C in 2011, Section B in 2012 and Section D1 in 2014 with funds raised by the Friends of Darwen Cemetery. Funds are now available to work on Section G
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer or supporter of the Friends of Darwen Cemetery, visit our website at
Or you can email
FODC May 2022
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Grave Maintenance Scheme (Western Cemetery)
The Friends of Darwen Cemetery started the Grave Maintenance Scheme (GMS) back in 2013 and have refurbished nearly 50 graves over the years in the Western Cemetery.
If you would like to see more information click on the link below.
Sections in the Cemetery we are currently working on
The Friends of Darwen Cemetery over the last few years have worked on various sections in the cemetery to improve the look of the graves and the surrounding areas.
The current sections we are working on are:-
Section 2, Section A, Section K and Section 5A
If you would like more information on the work we are carrying out in these sections please email us at contact@darwencemetery.org.uk
FODC June 2021
Brief History of the Cemetery
The Local Board of Health formed a Burial Board in 1858 to provide a public burial ground. Up to then the only burial grounds were the graveyards of the various places of worship. The long use of these graveyards, their limited area, and the growth of the town made it difficult to find space for new graves.
The Burial Board acquired land at Whitehall on the west of the Bolton road. The area was drained, fenced, and laid out into sections for Church of England, Nonconformist and Roman Catholic burials.
Mortuary Chapels were erected and the cemetery opened in June 1861. In 1876 further land was obtained, the combined area being about 20 acres. The western cemetery is really two cemeteries – the Old to the south and the New to the north.
Towards the end of the Second World War it was becoming obvious that a further burial ground was necessary and land was acquired on the opposite side of the main road. This became known, rather confusingly, as the New Cemetery and then as the Eastern Cemetery. Work was under way by 1945 and the land was consecrated within a year or so. The area was extended in the late 1970s.
Photograph of the two lodges at the entrance to the Western Cemetery.
Note the large Iron Gates which stood between the two Lodges, in between the two Lodges you can see the Church of England Chapel
A closer photograph of the Church of England Chapel that once stood in the Cemetery
This photograph shows the Roman Catholic Chapel that once stood in the Cemetery.
The above photograph is one that has taken years to find, this is the Non Conformist Chapel which once stood on the large mound in the centre of the old Cemetery, a big thank you to Alan Walton and the Commonwealth War Commission for the photograph
If you would like to see more history on the Cemetery click on the Research tab.
If you would like to see history of the Friends of Darwen Cemetery click on the FODC Timeline tab.