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The seven acres of land which forms the central section was purchased from Glasgow merchant William Gilmour of Oatlands House on land that once formed part of the Estate of Little Govan. The price of a lair would vary by its length and breadth and by its position with the grounds and repayment of the final sum was often taken in weekly instalments at a minimum of sixpence per week.
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Southern Necropolis Map 1890
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Costs
The price of the lairs was as follows:
| Lair |
7 feet Long by 3 feet broad |
£1.1/` |
| Lair |
10 feet long by 3 feet broad |
£1.10/` |
| Wall lair |
10½ feet long by 7½ feet broad |
£9 |
| Wall lair |
10½ feet long by 10 feet broad |
£12 |
| Lair within the central hedge |
7 feet long by 3 feet broad |
£1.16/`
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| Lair within the central hedge |
10 feet long by 3 feet wide |
£2.12/`6 |
Opening of The Southern Necropolis
The Southern Necropolis was officially opened in July 1840 and the first burial took place on 21st July 1840. The first burial was that of the 16 month old daughter of Archibald Cochran, a child who died of croup.
Regsiter of Burials 1840 showing entry for daughter of Archibald Cochrane
By 1846 all the lairs of the central section were sold and a further two and a half acres at a price of £2063 was purchased from William Gilmour to form the eastern section. The following year an additional one and a quarter acres were purchased at a cost of £1000. The demand for lairs continued and in 1850 nine and a half acres of land at a cost of £4858 were purchased from the Trustees of George Jardine, former Professor of Logic at the College of Glasgow, to form the western section.
The City of Glasgow took over responsibility for the Southern Necropolis in 1952. For a more detailed account of the founding of the Southern Necropolis readers are advised to borrow a copy of the book ‘The City of the Dead’ by Charlotte Hutt from their local library.
Southern Necropolis homepage