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MELBOURNE'S FIRST CREMATORIUM COMPLEX
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| Although a single
crematorium was in place at Springvale from 1905 to 1926, only 176
cremations were conducted there in that period. It was not until facilities
opened at Fawkner (then the New Melbourne General Cemetery and Crematorium)
in 1926 that the first modern crematorium began to service the people
for Victoria. Clearly the facility was seen as important, the Victorian
Yearbook of 1942-43 provided a detailed history of the facility and
comparison with the facilities at Springvale. Now referred to as the
'Old Crematorium', it served until the late 1970s until replaced by
the present facilities in 1980. |
| The Old Crematorium
had been planned since the cemetery's opening at Fawkner, but lack
of funds delayed the construction. Built for 7,000 pounds in 1926,
the facility was a model of contemporary technology designed to permit
future expansion. With the increasing popularity of cremation, those
additions were made within seven years and by 1943, two chapels, three
reducing rooms and numerous auxiliary rooms had been added. An amazing
2,293 cremations were conducted between 1927 and 1935, encouraging
the management of the cemetery at Springvale to further upgrade their
facilities to cope with demand for this new style of cremation. |
| An elegant building
in the Greek Revival style, designed by the noted architect Charles
Heath, Fawkner's Old Crematorium was richly decorated and sumptuously
finished. White columns supported vine covered porticoes over the
Chapel entrances and the new interior was finished with Ionic columns
supporting panelled ceilings. Stained glass windows were used throughout,
giving the historic building a subdued atmosphere appropriate to all
denominations. |
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