Jesmond Old Cemetery Shortlisted for National History Heroes Award

The volunteers who research and share the stories behind Jesmond Old Cemetery's headstones have been shortlisted for a national award, and the winner is due to be announced this week.

The Friends of Jesmond Old Cemetery are among the finalists for the Everyday History Heroes award, a competition run by the family-history website Findmypast in partnership with Heritage Open Days. It celebrates the historic sites that champion the stories of ordinary people rather than the famous few, and the group is one of only three sites in the North East chosen for the public vote.

Turning names in stone into stories

The award is backed by the historian and broadcaster David Olusoga OBE, who praised the Jesmond volunteers for the way they bring the cemetery's residents back to life. As reported by Jesmond Local, he described the group as:

"dedicated to making sure every one of the cemetery's moving stories is told."

Through research, online archives, guided walks and events, the Friends explore the lives of the people buried within the cemetery, work that turned a public nomination into a national shortlisting.

A £1,000 boost for the volunteers

The winner is announced on 10 September 2026, and the prize is £1,000. The Friends have said the money would go towards better interpretation for visitors, including new leaflets for adults and more guided walks, helping more people discover the history on their doorstep.

Nearly two centuries of Jesmond history

Jesmond Old Cemetery opened in 1836 and is the resting place of close to 25,000 people from every walk of Newcastle life. Among them are two figures who shaped the city and its culture: the architect John Dobson, who designed Newcastle Central Station and much of the classical city centre, and Joe Wilson, the much-loved nineteenth-century Geordie dialect songwriter.

Best for:

Jesmond has no shortage of hands-on heritage and conservation groups. If the cemetery's story has inspired you, our guides to volunteer groups in Jesmond and Jesmond's Victorian architecture are a good place to start.

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