Christopher Dawson

Neoclassicalism, ‘Egyptomania’, and the Gothic and Celtic Revivals: The architecture of Victorian-era grave monuments

Christopher Dawson

Large 19th century cemeteries often contain an attractive variety of grave monuments, which are a vital component of their aesthetic charm. The various styles and shapes all have their basis in different architectural trends of the Victorian era, and each of these trends were developed from religious/philosophical/political foundations. This presentation explores those trends, highlighting examples to be found among the monuments of the South Brisbane Cemetery, which opened 1870.

About Christopher

Christopher is a member of the Professional Historians Association (Queensland), a director of Brisbane Living Heritage, and has extensive experience with Public History in cemeteries. He co-founded the Friends of South Brisbane Cemetery (Inc.) in 2017 and has guided hundreds of tours in different cemeteries, had several articles on cemetery history published in journals and books, established research libraries, and organised dozens of community cleaning bees in South Brisbane Cemetery. Chris was the co-recipient of the prestigious John Oxley Library Award in 2021.