North Road Cemetery

24/08/2026

05/08/2026

The staff of North Road Cemetery wish to announce the retirement of our Cemetery Manager and friend, Andrew Boucaut.
What began as a three-month temporary appointment grew into a remarkable 13 years of dedicated service. Throughout that time, Andrew poured his heart and soul into his role, treating everyone he encountered—staff, researchers, families, and those who had recently lost a loved one—with kindness, compassion, and the respect they deserved.
Andrew's commitment, professionalism, and genuine care have left a lasting impact on the cemetery and the many people whose lives he has touched. His dedication will be remembered for years to come.
We extend our sincere thanks to Andrew for his years of service and wish him every happiness and good health in his retirement. He will be greatly missed by colleagues, visitors, and the wider community.

11/06/2026

HONOURING THOSE WHO SERVED
North Road Cemetery now manages several additional Anglican cemeteries across both the metropolitan area, the Barossa Valley, and the Kapunda area.
Following the success of our For King and Country project, which documents service personnel buried or commemorated at North Road and Mitcham Anglican Cemeteries, similar collections have been compiled for each of the cemeteries now under our care.
As each cemetery has been photographed and documented in our PlotBox database, service personnel have been identified and highlighted to ensure their service is recognised and remembered.
We are pleased to announce four new booklets covering:
St John's Anglican Cemetery at Salisbury
Holy Trinity Cemetery at Lyndoch
Christ Church Cemetery at Kapunda
St Matthew's Cemetery at Hamilton
These booklets honour the brave men and women who served their country. We believe their sacrifice and dedication should never be forgotten.
Lest We Forget.

02/06/2026

14/05/2026

Cravens Department Store - Shaping the State

Cravens was a prominent drapery, clothing, and department store in Adelaide located on the north-eastern corner of Rundle Street (now Rundle Mall) and Pulteney Street.

John Craven was born in Killala in County Mayo Ireland in 1860. He left London 29 December 1879 and arrived in Adelaide 14 February 1880.

Having worked as draper in Dublin he quickly got a job at John Martins before leaving and partnering with William Armstrong in 1886. Initially known as "Craven and Armstrong", the store became J. Craven & Co. with Armstrong retiring in 1910 and the store known simply as "Cravens".

Cravens was known for wide merchandise ranges with John travelling to London and Europe regularly where he purchased direct from factory outlets in substantial quantities, offering goods in his store at low cost, ensuring fast turnover and quick profits.

The store expanded multiple times, including a significant renovation and expansion next door in 1918. It was considered a reputable, value-for-money, "old-fashioned" department store with a diverse range including fashion, manchester, toys, and particularly well-known for dress materials.

John carried on the business until 1920 when the business was floated as a limited liability company with John as Managing Director. A further expansion in the 1920s created a substantial four-level shopping space.

John died in 1932 and his son Thomas took over the store.

The store experienced a damaging fire in the mid-1960s which led to a well-remembered fire sale before it closed.

The building was sold before being demolished in the 1970s to make way for the Centrepoint Shopping centre development currently on the site.

John’s ashes are interred in the family plot at North Road Cemetery in Path 34 South, plot 5001.
William Armstrong is buried in Path 5 South, plot VLT EH1

08/05/2026

Mother’s Day 2026
For those wishing to visit their mothers on the Mother's Day weekend, the vehicle access gates will be open on Saturday as usual and Sunday 8.00am to 6.00pm

04/05/2026

St Matthew’s Anglican Church and Cemetery, Hamilton

As mentioned in a previous post, North Road Cemetery are now responsible for the management and operations of the St Matthew’s Anglican Cemetery adjacent to St Matthew’s Anglican Church in Hamilton, South Australia.

St Matthew’s Anglican Church is one of the most beautiful and artistically decorated places of Anglican worship in the state. Funded by Mr Henry Dutton of Anlaby Estate, the church was built in 1896. The foundation stone was laid by Mr Dutton on 9 September 1896, and the church was consecrated by Bishop Harmer on 2 December of the same year.

The church was erected in memory of Dutton’s uncle Frederick Dutton, his wife, and most especially his only daughter, Ethel, who died tragically at the age of 16 after a fall at Granite Island while the family was holidaying at Victor Harbor.

Ethel was initially buried at North Road Cemetery following a service at Christ Church, North Adelaide. In October 1901 her body was exhumed and reinterred at St Matthew’s Anglican Cemetery in Hamilton.

The Dutton name has been closely associated with Kapunda and its district since the earliest days of settlement. The Anlaby property was acquired in 1841 by Frederick Dutton. In the early days Anlaby extended from near Kapunda to Tothill's Creek occupying an area of 160,000 acres. Anlaby was once among the finest pastoral properties in the state. By 1851 the property had been reduced to 70,000 acres and supported a flock of up to 65,000 sheep. Frederick Dutton died in 1890 and left Anlaby to his nephew Henry Dutton, who was responsible for making significant extensions to the house and gardens. Over time, Anlaby’s importance as a wool producing centre has declined, and today the shearing operations handle no more than 5,000 to 6,000 sheep annually.

Henry Dutton died on 25 August 1914 at the age of 70. He was laid to rest alongside his wife and daughter at St Matthew’s, following a quiet and private service.

22/04/2026

ANZAC DAY 2026
At the outbreak of the First World War, Australia called upon its young men to serve King and country. The response was overwhelming, as thousands enlisted, many drawn by a sense of duty and the promise of adventure in distant lands. It was not long before the harsh realities of war became clear.
Australia’s first major engagement came on 25 April 1915, when troops landed at Anzac Cove on the Gallipoli Peninsula. The campaign that followed was a tragic and costly failure, claiming the lives of more than 8,000 Australian soldiers. Among those who never returned are the twenty-one young men remembered here—though laid to rest overseas, they are honoured on family graves at North Road Cemetery.
On Anzac Day, we pause to remember their sacrifice, and the sacrifice of all who have served and died in conflicts throughout the years.
Lest we forget.