Laid to rest in the Garrison Cemetery

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A carved granite raised tomb with an iron railing surrounding it, including a visiting gate is that of Lady Elizabeth Gregory (18171873), wife of British Governor William Henry Gregory, who held office from 1872-1877.

The table tomb of John Spottiswood Robertson, is dated 1823-1856. He is believed to be the seventh and last European killed by wild elephants. Another table tomb is that of Lieut. General John Fraser, aged 72 years, who is best known for his satinwood bridge built without a single nail or bolt, over the Mahaweli Ganga at Peradeniya. It had been in use from 1833 to 1905. A strict disciplinarian, he was also renowned as a road builder and cartographer.

There is also the tomb of William Robert Lyte (18461865), grandson of the Rev. Henry Francis Lyte, author of the hymn ‘Abide With Me’.

The tombstone of Captain James McGlashan (1791-1817) was brought to the cemetery in the late 1890s from Lady Longden’s Drive. He having walked from Trincomalee without taking any precautions drenched in the rain, sleeping in wet clothes, was seized with a violent fever and came to his end. Many other deaths were due to malaria, fever and cholera.

“There are 195 graves with multiple burials in some, bringing the total number of burials to 250. There are graves where very young children, some only a few months old are buried together.” The small memorial stone marked G & M Wait 1873, is for their five infant sons.

At the entrance to the cemetery is a grave where the last burial in 1951 was done, that of Annie Fritz who is buried in the same grave as James Henry Fritz, who died in 1899.

“The museum at the entrance to the cemetery is the old chapel where bodies were placed before burial,” Mr. James explained. At present it has records of the burials and the pictures hung on the walls include those of Prince Charles when he visited the Garrison Cemetery in 2013. The supervisor said the Prince met with a few officials and gave a donation towards the upkeep of the cemetery.

The Garrison Cemetery is part of the history of British Colonial Ceylon from 1815 – 1948.