Successful visit to Abney Park by Sir Bill Rollo, Vice Chairman of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission

The Abney Park Trust, which works to protect the heritage and biodiversity of Stoke Newington’s magical urban woodland and cemetery, enjoyed a successful visit from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (“the Commission”) in September. 

The Trust maintains over 150 war graves in the much-loved Hackney park, as well as a number of private graves of soldiers – and the central Commonwealth War Memorial.

This memorial commemorates over 200 soldiers who do not have marked headstones. 

The park was paid a visit by the Commission’s Vice Chairman Sir Bill Rollo, plus two members of Commission staff – Kev Barnes, the Regional Operations Coordinator, and Andrew Stillman, the Operations Manager for the UK and Northern Area.

Sir Bill and the delegation visited a number of graves in the park during their visit on a sunny September afternoon.

These included the grave of Sgt. Major Albert Pearce. And the delegation also visited the off-path mosaic grave of 2nd Lt. Charles Janes, among many others.

The Abney Park Trust is responsible for this maintenance. Its staff and volunteers tend to each of the 150+ graves once every six weeks.

It is supported in this work by a grant from the Commission. 

The Abney Park Trust and the Commission also agreed to work together further on monument restoration, public engagement and more.

Sir Bill Rollo, Vice Chairman of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, said:

“It was great to visit Abney Park, and to meet Nick Toner, Haydn and other members of the Team. On behalf of the Commission I would like to thank the Trust for all that they do on our behalf to care for the graves of the war dead, and to keep their memories alive. I look forward very much to working closely with them in the future as they develop their imaginative and ambitious project.”

Nick Toner, Deputy Chair of the Abney Park Trust, said:

“It was a real pleasure to meet with Sir Bill and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission team.”

“A key part of the Abney Park Trust’s mission is to protect and preserve Hackney’s shared memory. With that in mind, we’re proud and honoured to maintain the park’s Commonwealth War Graves – for the long term.”

The visit comes as Abney Park, which is managed jointly by the Trust and Hackney Council, begins to undergo an ambitious and historic restoration project funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. 

These works will bring new community spaces, boost biodiversity, restore the chapel and improve access.