Victorian pet cemetery history: how dogs got their own graves

Part 1

Why the Victorians started burying dogs formally

In the 1880s, pet cemeteries were still considered a German custom, and they did not become widely available in England until later in the century. Even so, country estates had long set aside a spot on their own land to bury a family pet. Queen Victoria kept her own dogs' graves in a private plot at Windsor Castle. She also had photographs taken of her dogs at the Royal Kennels at Windsor, recording their names and dates of birth and death. If you have ever wanted a lasting spot for your own dog, you are following a habit that goes back well over a century.

Part 2

Hyde Park pet cemetery: the first famous example

One Victorian pet cemetery sits in the garden of Victoria Lodge, a park keeper's house on the edge of Hyde Park in London. It began in 1881 with the burial of Cherry, a Maltese dog owned by the children of Mr and Mrs J. Lewis Barned. Cherry's family often visited the park and were friendly with the gatekeeper, Mr Winbridge, who agreed to bury her in the lodge garden when she died of old age on 28 April 1881. The second dog buried there was Prince, who belonged to Sarah Fairbrother, wife of Prince George, Duke of Cambridge, after he was killed by a passing carriage near the lodge. Winbridge then opened his garden to other families, and burials grew from there.

Most of the dogs buried at Hyde Park belonged to wealthy families living in the streets nearby. Winbridge ran the cemetery as an act of kindness rather than as a business, digging the graves and burying the animals himself. By 1903 the cemetery was generally closed because it had run out of room, after around 1,000 burials. A few more burials still happened afterwards, with the last one taking place in 1976. You can picture your own dog among the small rows of headstones that grew up here.

What the headstones look like

Around 471 headstones survive today, and most date from the 1890s. They are small and plain, typically about 31 centimetres high. The site is owned by The Royal Parks charity and is not open to the public, except for occasional guided tours.

Part 3

What the gravestones reveal about Victorian dogs

Common dog names and epitaphs

Many headstones borrow phrases from human gravestones, such as here lies and rest in peace. Others use sleep as a gentle way to describe death, including the line after life's fitful slumber, he sleeps well. Some carry Bible verses, which have been read as early evidence that people believed dogs had souls, a view that did not become common until much later. Names on the stones include Spot, Muffin, Ruby, Bogie, Smut, and Fattie.

• Poor Cherry. Died April 28. 1881.
• Alas! Poor Zoe.
• Darling Dolly, my sunbeam, my consolation, my joy.
• Poor dear Tappy.
• In loving memory of M. C. Trotter's Jessie.

Breeds and sizes, where they are recorded

Cherry was a Maltese, Prince was a Yorkshire terrier, and Topper, who belonged to the local police station, was a fox terrier.

Signs of grief and the language used

Some inscriptions record sad stories, like the headstone for Balu, remembered as poisoned by a cruel Swiss. Lord Petre sent his dog for burial in 1892 and promised to attend the funeral the next day, but died overnight himself. Owners were often too upset to attend the burial in person, leaving Winbridge to carry out the ceremony alone. You can see in these small details how much some Victorian owners grieved for their dogs.

Part 4

Other pet cemeteries that followed across Britain

Pet cemeteries became a more popular idea elsewhere in the country during the 19th century. Royal households also kept private burial grounds for their dogs. Queen Alexandra had a pet cemetery at Marlborough House, and Frederica, Duchess of York, had one at Oatlands near Windsor. Edward VII's fox terrier, Caesar, was given a place at the foot of the king's tomb in St George's Chapel. Queen Victoria's own dogs were buried in a private spot at Windsor Castle.

Hyde Park's cemetery stood out because it was not only for royal or aristocratic pets; ordinary local families could arrange a burial there too. It was generally closed to new burials in 1903 once space ran out, though a handful of later burials were allowed for well-connected owners. The last burial there took place in 1976. The site is now kept off limits to visitors because of the risk of vandalism, though The Royal Parks arranges occasional tours. If you and your dog ever walk along Bayswater Road, you can still glimpse the headstones through the railings.

Part 5

How this history differs from ashes or memorial services today

If you are thinking about your own dog, it helps to talk it over with your vet or a local pet crematorium rather than look to Victorian customs for guidance.