Call to restore historic Pinetown graveyard
The grave yard was originally part of St Andrews’s Church which was located on the property across the road from the Pinetown Civic Centre on Kings Road from 1870 to 1956.
AN ambitious project, aimed at restoring a historic military graveyard in Pinetown, welcomed its first group of volunteers on Saturday, October 16.
This ongoing project is an initiative of the Memorable Order of Tin Hats (MOTHs) and is supported the War Graves Commission SA.
ALSO READ: WATCH: Pinetown littlies march against climate change Leading the project is Rhinesha
Dayanand, a member of the MOTH Museums and Memorials committee as Warriors Gate.
Dayanand has taken on the task of cleaning and preserving this historic military graveyard in Pinetown, with the assistance of volunteers and donations.
The graveyard was originally part of the St Andrews Church that was located on the property, across the road from the Pinetown Civic Centre on Kings Road, from 1870 to 1956. The graveyard is all that remains today.
A few of the graves are marked as early British Military graves that hold historic, regimental remembrance.
Famously, this graveyard is also the final resting place of Captain Joseph Malone VC, who was awarded a Victoria Cross for bravery.
“He was 21 years old, and a sergeant in the 13th Light Dragoons (later 13th Hussars), British Army (Charge of the Light brigade). After Crimea, Malone found himself with the 6th Dragoons billeted in Pinetown, and died here of illness on June in 1883.
According to the chairman of Warriors Gate, MOTH Mike Lee, Captain Malone’s Victoria Cross was acquired by Lord Ashcroft in 2017 and is displayed at the Imperial War Museum in London, UK.
Another interesting facet is that the early residents of Pinetown are buried at the site, including many members of the Crompton family.
Pinetown has a road and Hospital named after Crompton. The organisers thanked its sponsor, Flowerpark Garden Centre in Pinetown, for the plants.
This project has just begun and new volunteers can contact Rhinesha Dayanand on 078 926 7244 to join the next clean-up.
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