The Old Cemetery (or the Alexandra Park Cemetery) was the second cemetery in Potchefstroom and was in use since 1861. It was officially closed in 1905.
A variety of historical figures is buried on these grounds and surnames such as Daly, Scorgie, Dixon and Baillie can be seen on some of the ancient headstones.
This is also the last resting place of President MW Pretorius who died while being under house arrest in Potchefstroom in 1901. JP Borrius, a renowned editor and one of the only two printers in the old Transvaal at that time, is also buried here.
The old cemetery is also home to many graves of victims who died in concentration camps and soldiers that were killed in action during the Anglo-Boer War.
According to a survey conducted by the Potchefstroom Museum, there is a total of 281 graves, excluding those who died in the Wasgoedspruit Concentration Camp and those of British troops who died in and around Potchefstroom during the Anglo-Boer War.
Most of the Wasgoedspruit fatalities were children and, according to information gathered by the SA Genealogical Society of the North West, there might have been more than one child buried per grave.
There is thus no idea as to how many souls are buried on these grounds.
After many years of decay, the Old Cemetery fell into a state of disrepair. In the late 1960’s the headstones that were still in a fairly good condition, were grouped together, and so the Old Cemetery were transformed into the Alexandra Park Garden of Remembrance.
The old cemetery can be visited by tourists today, and offers quite a journey through time. It is based near the entrance of the Potch Dorp Rugby club in Piet Bosman Street.
