Cunningham Family Cemetery Tarlo

Located at the former Cunningham property of “Lallewoon” Tarlo is the Cunningham Family Cemetery. Some of the headstones can just be seen from Taralga Road. There are at least twelve members of the Cunningham family buried there:

John Cunningham (1842-1901)

John was the eldest child of Edward and Catherine (nee Kennedy) Cunningham. John was born at Chatsbury in 1842. John married Catherine McAlister on 24 June 1873. They had eight children:

  • Edward Joseph Cunningham (1874 - 1923)
  • Ann Theresa Cunningham (1875 - 1926)
  • Eliza Catherine Cunningham (1877 - 1956)
  • John Thomas Cunningham (1879 - 1936)
  • William Patrick Cunningham (1881 - 1887)
  • Mary Ellen Cunningham (1883 - 1885)
  • Mary Isobel Cunningham (1886 - 1943)
  • Clement Francis Cunningham (1890 - 1968)

John continued the dairy business his father had started. For many years, John acted as the returning officer and post master at Tarlo. He was also appointed as a magistrate. He served on the A. P. and H. Society committee for several years and was a member of the Australian Holy Catholic (AHC) Guild. John died aged 58 at Tarlo 8 May 1901 from pleurisy. He was the first person to be buried in this cemetery. His obituary mentions that he had given the cemetery to the Catholic Church.

Catherine Cunningham (nee McAlister) (1846-1905)

Catherine was born 2 April 1846 at Tarlo. She was the daughter of Thomas and Anne (Nee McDonald) McAlister. Catherine died at Tarlo 18 March 1905 after a protracted illness. According to her obituary, the cortege walked in procession from her residence, "Ivy Hall" to the cemetery, about half a mile from the house.

Edward Joseph Cunningham (1874-1923)

Edward was born 10 April 1874 at Tarlo. He was the eldest child of John and Catherine Cunningham. In 1904, John married Rose Emily Kelly at Liverpool, their only child, Mary Kathleen Cunningham, was born in 1905. Edward died at Tarlo 3 July 1923 of heart faliure. As with his mother's funeral, the cortege left Ivy Hall for the cemetery.

Ann Theresa Cunningham (1875-1926)

Ann was born 24 March 1875 at Tarlo. She was the second child of John and Catherine Cunningham. Annie had moved to Sydney, and lived at Summer Hill, with her sister Eliza. Annie died 19 August 1926 at Prince Alfred Hospital Sydney, whilst undergoing surgery.

Matthew Cunningham (1854-1910)

Matthew was born 12 June 1854 at Tarlo, the seventh child of Edward and Catherine (Nee Kennedy) Cunningham. Matthew married Mary Ann Barry on 26 April 1883 at Myrtleville. Matthew and Mary Ann had fifteen children:

  • Edward Sylvester Cunningham (1884 - 1968)
  • John Francis Cunningham (1885 - 1950)
  • Catherine Cecilia Cunningham (1887 - 1904)
  • Mary Josephine Cunningham (1888 - 1972)
  • Elizabeth Margaret Cunningham (1889 - 1972)
  • Albious Bede Cunningham (1891 - 1917)
  • Grace Angela Cunningham (1895 - 1967)
  • Irene Gertrude Cunningham (1890 - 1968)
  • William Aubrey Cunningham (1896 - 1902)
  • Stanley J Cunningham (1897 - 1898)
  • Teresa Imelda Cunningham (1899 - 1977)
  • Cathleen Eva Cunningham (1901 - 1984)
  • Vera Pauline Cunningham (1902 - 1977)
  • Douglas Vincent Cunningham (1904 - 1904)
  • Raymond Barry Cunningham (1905 - 1966)

Matthew and Mary Ann raised their large family at "Woodlands" Tarlo. Matthew followed in the footsteps of his father and brothers, and was a successful farmer. He was a member of the A. P. and H. Society, and was on their committee. Matthew died 15 October 1910, his cause of death was pleurisy.

Mary Ann Cunningham (nee Barry) (1863-1916)

Mary Ann Cunningham (Nee Barry) - Mary Ann was born 26 August 1863, a daughter of John and Grace (Nee Douglas) Barry). Mary Ann sold Woodlands in 1914, and moved into Goulburn, to a house called "Cooinda" which was in Addison Street West Goulburn. Mary Ann died 15 October 1916 at "Cooinda" after she fell into an underground well or tank at the property.

Catherine Cunningham (1887-1904)

Catherine Cecelia Cunningham - Catherine was born 1887 at Tarlo. She was the third child of Matthew and Mary Ann Cunningham. Catherine had been ill for five years, she died 15 August 1904 at "Woodlands". Her cause of death was a cerebral tumor.

William Aubrey Cunningham (1896-1902)

William was born 1896, the ninth child of Matthew and Mary Ann Cunningham. He died on 4 June 1902. William and his brother were carting two casks of water on a dray. William struck the horse, which jumped, causing William to be thrown under the wheel, which ran over his head. He died almost instantaneously.

Douglas Vincent Cunningham (1904-1904)

Douglas was born 2 may 1904 at Tarlo, the fourteenth child and youngest son of Matthew and Mary Ann Cunningham. He died 29 May 1904.

Edward Cunningham (1858-1921)

Edward was born 12 June 1858 at Tarlo. Edward married Emily Ann Eliza (Ada) Mannell on 28 March 1894 in Goulburn. Children of this marriage were:

  • Noel Hilary Vincent Cunningham (1894-1943)
  • Norbert Mannell Cunningham (1897-1973)
  • Mervyn Kennedy Cunningham (1899-1968) n.m.
  • Mary Genevieve Rose Cunningham (1901-1973)
  • Kenneth Joseph Vincent Cunningham (1903-1977)
  • Cecil Francis Worthington Cunningham (1905-1991)
  • Kevin Edward Cunningham (1908-1910) n.m.
  • Marie Ada Josephine Cunningham (1910-1991)

Edward was regarded as a respected figure in pastoral affairs. His cattle were prominent in district shows, and he took a keen interest in city and district affairs. He was the oldest director of the Goulburn Pastures Protection Board, and was also heavily involved in the A. P. and H. Society. Edward died 9 September 1921 at St John of God Hospital Goulburn. The funeral service was held in Sts Peter and Paul's Cathedral, and his body was transported to Tarlo for burial. Prior to his death, Edward had purchased the old Church at Tarlo, and donated it to the Catholic Church. The official reopening of the Church was on 2 October 1921, several weeks after Edward's death.

Kevin Edward Cunningham (1908-1910)

Kevin was born 25 February 1908 at Tarlo, the sixth child and youngest son of Edward and Ada Cunningham. Kevin died at Tarlo 15 November 1910 aged 2. His death certificate lists his cause of death as whooping cough and broncho pneumonia, which he had had for about a month.

Anne Mannell (nee Worthington) (1839-1905)

Anne Mannell (Nee Worthington) - Anne was born about 1839, the third daughter of James Worthington (Warrington) and Mary Therese Byrne. No record of her birth has been found, based on information provided on her children's birth registrations, she was born in Appin. Anne married Francis Rowe Mannell on 1 September 1860 in Goulburn. As the wedding was under the rite of the Church of Rome, they most likely married at Sts Peter and Paul's Church. They had three children:

  • Eveline Mary Mannell (1861 - 1862)
  • Francis Worthington Mannell (1863 - 1942)
  • Emily Ann Eliza (Emily Ada) Mannell (1870 - 1950)

Francis Mannell died 19 May 1905 at his residence in Bourke Street Goulburn. Anne died 19 October 1905 at "Laureleigh" Tarlo from heart failure.

At this stage, it is not known why burials commenced here when they did. Other members of the family, who died before 1901, were buried in the Mortis Street Cemetery in Goulburn, these included Edward Cunningham (1812 – 1871), Catherine Cunningham (nee Kennedy) (1819 – 1892), Theresa Jane Cunningham (1865 – 1866), William Patrick Cunningham (1881 – 1887), Mary Ellen Cunningham (1883 – 1885), Stanley J Cunningham (1898 – 1898). Other family members who died around this time were buried at St Patrick’s Cemetery Kenmore. These include Joseph Patrick Cunningham (1860 – 1894) and John Kennedy (1829 – 1891) who are buried side by side. As John Cunningham was the first person to be buried here, and he had donated the land to The Catholic Church, it could be that during his last illness, he decided he wanted to be buried on the family farm and donated the land prior to his death. This is just one theory, and to date I have no evidence to back this up.

As John Cunningham had donated the land to the Catholic Church, this explains why Francis Rowe Mannell (husband of Anne Mannell nee Worthington and father of Ada Cunningham nee Mannell) was not buried here. According to his death certificate, he was buried at St Saviour’s Church of England Cemetery in Goulburn. Francis died 19 May 1905. To date, I have not found his headstone. Perhaps it has not survived the years, or perhaps he didn’t have one.

Despite what some online cemetery sites may claim, there is no evidence that Charles McInnes (died 11 October 1900) is buried at this cemetery. There is no headstone to him here. Depending on the timing of when John Cunningham donated the land to the Catholic Church, the cemetery may not have even been in existence when Charles died. His obituary states that his remains were taken to his property "Glencoe" and interred there. His funeral notice invited mourners to proceed to "Glencoe" Tarlo. "Glencoe" was located on the property adjoining "Lallewoon", today this property is known as "Riverview". McInnes family members believe Charles was buried at what was formerly "Glencoe", though no grave has ever been found.

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