| The association’s inaugural meeting at Harris Academy was attended by some 50 people eager to restore the cemetery and stimulate interest in it as a source of local history and genealogy.
West End councillor Fraser Macpherson was appointed chair of the association.
West End resident Trixie Thomson said, “Many people have expressed an interest in joining the Western Cemetery Association, which is encouraging.
“We will work in partnership with Dundee City Council and Historic Scotland, but we need to start raising funds and, to do that, we have to become a registered charity.”
She added, “I remember visiting the cemetery as a little girl and it was such a lovely place where people enjoyed going for a walk.”
Ms Thomson is the daughter of architect Frank Thomson, who designed a number of prominent buildings in Dundee. Her father and sister are buried at the cemetery.
At the time of its opening in 1846 the cemetery was unique, being the only privately-owned cemetery in Scotland. After the second world war it fell into slow decline and in 1979 Dundee City Council bought it for £1.
Many well-known people are buried in the cemetery, including James Bowman Lindsay, born in 1799 at Carmyllie, and the pioneer of electricity, and Baron Armitstead, whose trust still supports many good causes in Dundee.
Today’s meeting coincided with The Friends of Dundee City Archives’ annual walk round the cemetery, and city archivist Iain Flett took visitors on a guided tour around the historic site.
Mr Flett said, “This is a great idea. When you look at what London is doing with Highgate Cemetery — making it into a visitor attraction — if the group can put the Western Cemetery back on the map, it will be a wonderful thing.” |
