Mary Mulligan

Earliest Known burial at Perth

Written by Cherie Strickland and Lorraine Clarke – Swan Genealogy

John Mitchell a Private of the 63rd Regiment has long been recognised as the first known burial in Perth, Private Mitchell was buried on the 06/01/1830, and however we now know there was an earlier burial in Perth area.

Mary Mulligan was buried opposite the Colonial hospital before the Perth cemetery was established; Mary was the wife of Thomas Mulligan also a Private in the 63rd Regiment. Mary and Thomas had arrived in the Swan River Colony aboard the Sulphur on the 8th June 1829. Mary died at the end of 1829 or the new year of 1830, the exact date is unclear, there are no records pertaining to her date of death or burial, however John Mitchell was buried on the 6th Jan 1830 at the East Perth Cemeteries and Mary’s burial is not recorded after this. She was buried in a jarrah coffin, her remains where uncovered in May of 1877 whilst men were enlarging a well at an allotment owned by Mr Smith opposite the Colonial Hospital. Where her remains were reburied is not mentioned however we are sure it can be assumed that she was placed in one of the cemeteries at East Perth. Mary had not been in the Colony long when she passed away however she made news 47 years after her death and will be included as part of the East Perth Cemeteries collection.