eGGSA Graves - Western Cape

Church information:- On 16th December 1677, Commander Johan Bax and his Council set aside a suitable area in the Company’s garden as a burial ground. This was the land on which the Groote Kerk now stands. In 1699 plans for the new church were drawn up and a contract was concluded for the building. While the church was being built, the graveyard, (Church Square today) which had become “a scandalous spectacle”, was restored and Abraham Hartog contracted to build a wall round it. Inside the church provision was made for about 180 numbered vaults and some unnumbered graves. There were six graves on either side of the pulpit, and in front of it the vaults were apparently arranged in rows, fifteen in a row, up to the organ. Some of the vaults could hold, from six to nine bodies. The vaults could be purchased or hired, and nearly all people of standing of those times were buried here. (Source: https://www.sahistory.org.za/place/groote-kerk-adderley-street-cape-town) Photos were taken of all the headstones outside the church. No photos are allowed to be taken inside the church. According to a booklet issued by the church 'Die Groote Kerk Kaapstad' some of the people buried inside the church are: Governor Johan BAX -1678 Governor Louis VAN ASSENBURGH -1711 Governor Simon VAN DER STEL -1712 Governor Maurits Pasques DE CHAVONNES -1724 Governor Pieter Gysbert NOODT 1729 Governor Adriaan VAN KERVEL 1737 Governor Ryk TULBAGH 1771 Governor Pieter VAN REEDE VAN OUDSTHOORN -1773 William WAKE -1751 Die grafstene buite die kerk is waarskynlik verskuif/gered uit die Somerset begraafplaas wat omtrent 1921 gesluit en gesloop is. Sommige van die stene is verskuif na Maitland begraafplaas wat in 1886 geopen is. Vir meer inligting daaroor, lees die Hollandse artikel by https://www.dbnl.org/tekst/_nee003192101_01/_nee003192101_01_0290.php) eGGSA captions by: Alta Griffiths, Peter & Beverley Moss The GGSA Cemetery DVD only has information on the location of the cemetery Cemetery ID: 3006 Information submitted by: Alta Griffiths Google Earth Project Information:- GPSID: 3602 GPS: -33 55.489, 18 25.252