This week, a kind visitor to the cemetery left flowers and painted stones on some of our recently uncovered, forgotten graves. The Friends of Ely Cemetery have been really touched by such a lovely gesture!

The sun was shining on Saturday 29th May for the second FoEC open day at Ely Cemetery. It was a great success with more than 50 people attending throughout the day. The fascinating cemetery tours given by our very own Chris Phillips were very popular and the children's nature trail proved a hit with families! The open day raised almost £100 in donations which will go towards FoEC projects within the cemetery.

Huge thanks go to everyone who attended and donated. We are looking forward to meeting everyone at our next open day!

Come along to explore Ely's past and present! Details on our poster below:

On 12th September, the Friends of Ely Cemetery held an open day at the cemetery. Although the grand event we had planned as part of National Cemetery Week earlier in the year had to be significantly reduced due to the ongoing pandemic, we were still able to welcome members of the public to the cemetery for tours and talks.

Many years ago, as is usual in old cemeteries, some gravestones were deemed unsafe and removed from their original positions in Ely cemetery. They were originally stacked around the edge of the site and remained there for some time before being moved again. It was presumed that they were buried somewhere in the cemetery but heir whereabouts have been unknown ever since. After extensive research, discussions with former council members and searches in the cemetery grounds, these lost headstones have begun to be uncovered once more. The FoEC hope to be able to repair and restore as many of these headstones as possible and research those former Ely residents whom they commemorate. Councillor and FoEC committee member Chris Phillips sums up our joy at locating these stones once more:  "Forgotten for years, they are now remembered again". 

​Our resident biographer Chris Phillips has also been hard at work and several new mini biographies of Ely residents past are now available to view on our website. Finally, do follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter to keep up with all our news and photographs from the cemetery.

Our next mini-biography is ready to read! This one features the full and interesting life of Susannah Elizabeth Woodroffe (1850-1919) who is buried in Ely cemetery alongside her son, Sergeant Major Thomas Woodroffe.  Read all about her here!

Some early spring flowers are beginning to bloom in Ely cemetery. On the left is Winter Aconite, also known as the "Early Spring Bee Flower" (Eranthis hyemalis). This is a perennial plant which flowers from January to March, thrives in woodland, hedgerows and shady borders and is perfect for pollinators. On the right, is probably some Pulmonia, known as Common Lugwort. This plant likes deep shade, flowering from February to March and attracts the solitary, hairy-footed bee, one of the first bees to emerge in early spring. Both of these flowers can be seen in the shady, wooded area of the cemetery that runs along Beech Lane.