Burials at St James
During the one hundred and thirty three years (1833-1966) that the graveyard was open, over 12,300 burials took place.
Most of the burials are for people who died on Tyneside but a small number are for people who died elsewhere, for example London, Liverpool and Aberdeen, and were brought back to Benwell for burial.
The majority of the burials took place under the rites of the Church of England, but we have recorded 516 Roman Catholic and over 670 nonconformist burials (Baptist, Presbyterian. Salvation Army, etc).
Many of the people buried here would have had no permanent marker but over 600 grave markers do still exist and have been recorded. Some of those markers record details of other family members who are buried here as well as those who died elsewhere, e.g. killed in World War 1. There are also 14 graves administered by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
The interior of the church has a number of brass plaques and stained glass windows commemorating a variety of individuals and these have also been recorded.
A comprehensive database of burials, together with any linked memorials, is still in the process of being constructed, but if you think you may have someone buried in Benwell, we can tell you whether there is a record for that person.
If you would like to enquire about an ancestor or relative who may be buried here you can either drop in on a Tuesday afternoon (1 p.m. to 4 p.m.) and ask one of our volunteers or email us at stjamesbenwell@gmail.com
St James' Heritage and Environment Group 