North Shields and Tynemouth General Cemetery / South Preston

This cemetery is shown on the Ordnance Survey 1:2500 map of 1861. A lodge is located at the main entrance on the south side giving onto Albion Street. The cemetery is shown as laid out with paths bordered by trees, and a series of small structures are shown along the western edge. On the Ordnance Survey 1:528 Town Plans of 1859 and 1860, these are shown on the western and northern edges of the cemetery and labelled as 'Tombs'. A small separate rectangular enclosure is shown in the centre of the cemetery with three grey squares marked in it.
The first burial, of Mrs Atkinson, took place in 1833 (Newcastle Journal, Saturday 29 June 1833), in what was then a commercially run burial ground 'originated upon a principle similar to that of the Westgate Cemetery'. Shares in the cemetery were being advertised from 1849 onwards. The last interment was that of the ashes of Miss Elizabeth Ann Atkinson, granddaughter of Mrs Atkinson, in 1939 (North Tyneside Herald & Post, Wednesday 19 May 1999).
The OS 1:2500 1940 map shows the name as 'South Preston Cemetery'. The Shields Daily News of Wednesday 15 October 1941 references the change of name. It is no longer named on the OS 1:2500 1970 map, indicating that it had gone out of use. Google Earth aerial photos show that it has been cleared of grave markers, and the northern part is in use by the neighbouring Spring Gardens Primary School.