The Hellenic Enclosure at the
South Metropolitan Cemetery
& St Stephen's Chapel

THE HELLENIC ENCLOSURE OF THE SOUTH METROPOLITAN CEMETERY

The South Metropolitan Cemetery, now better known as West Norwood Cemetery, is today recognised as one of England’s most important cemeteries for its setting and the quality of its memorials. The late Julian Litten, a respected authority on cemeteries and funereal practice hailed Norwood as ‘one of, if not the most important, collections of funerary sculpture in London’.

An outstanding feature of the cemetery is its Hellenic Enclosure, which has had a distinguished history with significant burials and world-class funereal architecture. It is a very special last resting place, created by far-sighted people who acknowledged both dignity and beauty in death. This is a brief account of the Enclosure’s origins.

THE SOUTH METROPOLITAN CEMETERY

The story begins in 1835, when a group of City of London merchants and professional men, who happened to live in the prosperous south London suburb of Camberwell (about 3 miles north of Norwood) banded together to form a committee to promote a cemetery somewhere further south of their village. They were most likely responding to the threat of cholera and its consequences but also noting the movement, in its infancy, to create a ring of cemeteries in outer London to relieve the overcrowding and insanitary conditions in central churchyards. There is no evidence of either of the great cemetery promoters of the period, John Claudius Loudon (1782-1843) or George Frederick Carden (1798-1874) being consulted or involved. Eight cemeteries were created, each under its own auspices, and of which seven survive, now collectively known as ‘The Magnificent Seven’.

This was a strictly commercial enterprise with a no-frills business approach taken from the outset. The promoters formed a company, the South Metropolitan Cemetery Company Limited, piloted a private Bill through Parliament, and purchased two parcels of land on rising ground amounting to 40 acres in the area then known as Lower Norwood. The larger portion of about 30 acres was acquired from a fellow Camberwell resident and fellow promoter. Utilising Camberwell connections became a characteristic of the project; the building contractor (Thomas Piper) lived there, the plantsmen had their nurseries there, the lawyer for the project was closely related by marriage to four of the promoters, and the chosen architect was the son-in-law of a Camberwell family. There was no architectural competition or putting works out to tender, and the construction was completed within a year.

The architect happened to be known to most of the promoters, quite apart from the handy Camberwell connection, as he was active in City politics. He was a man already wealthy in his own right and was mostly busy investing in and developing railways. Architecture, although significant, was less important but, that said, he had just been appointed to design the banking hall of the City’s first joint-stock bank. He was William Tite (1798-1873), a polymath and linguist, qualified as an engineer, involved with several companies including as a first London director of the Great Western Railway. He found time to promote the fledgling architectural profession.

Tite was far too busy to project manage the cemetery contract and the job fell largely to his principal assistant, Ebenezer Trotman. It is likely Tite had visited Paris while touring in Europe and saw Pere Lachaise Cemetery of 1804 and recommended a similar for Norwood with a country park layout, and sinuous roadways with elaborate planting. Tite most likely superintended the civil engineering, which included diverting the River Effra as it flowed through the site into a culvert and also the foundations for the two chapels, incorporating ranges of catacombs. The chapels over were very much the work of Trotman and replicate his design of 1836 for the parish church of Holy Trinity, Tewkesbury. Tite and Trotman (known as an enthusiast of Gothic architecture) were later to be associated with designs for London’s Royal Exchange and many railway stations, some of which resembled the cemetery’s lodge. As required by Parliament, the cemetery was divided between consecrated and unconsecrated areas, the former being consecrated by the Bishop of Winchester on 7 December 1837, followed by the first burial on 12 December 1837.

By 1900 the cemetery was largely full and the company’s ability to sell graves reduced. In order to provide a further source of income a Crematorium was opened in 1915. During World War 2 it suffered bomb damage, most notably the non-conformist chapel and the lodge. Some memorials were also damaged or destroyed.

The cemetery company continued operating until 1965, by which time depleted revenues were making upkeep difficult. Lambeth Council compulsorily acquired the cemetery and shortly after commenced a memorial clearance programme, ultimately with the destruction of an estimated 20,000 monuments, including several that were Listed, although the Hellenic Enclosure was unaffected. Across the cemetery 65 structures had been Listed mostly in 1981 and 1993, a Conservation Area declared on 5 July 1978 and the cemetery included in the National Register of Historical Parks & Gardens on 1 October 1987. As Lambeth were deaf to protests about their clearances and other works, the Friends of West Norwood Cemetery was established to campaign for the preservation and conservation of the cemetery. The damage and the loss of memorials was halted following the intervention of the Archdeacon of Lambeth in 1991. A case was brought in the Southwark Diocesan Consistory Court resulted in Lambeth being required to cease clearance activity (unless authorised by Faculty), replicate the destroyed Listed memorials, and stop the illegal selling of unused burial space in almost 1,000 graves. A Scheme of Management was created, and the management of the cemetery became the responsibility of a joint committee with Diocese and external parties.

In the past 10 years a successful National Lottery Heritage Fund project has seen extensive repair and restoration work and the creation of a visitor centre.

THE HELLENIC ENCLOSURE

The more senior members of the small Greek community in London of the 1840s voluntarily undertook to look after the welfare and needs of the community without reward or personal benefit and in the spirit of kinship. They were bonded by close family ties and business interests and among their priorities was the provision of a place of worship and dedicated burial space. It is recorded an approach was made to the newly opened Kensal Green Cemetery for a plot but this came to nothing. Norwood was more accommodating, and a Lease was signed on 24 December 1842 for a small plot in the north-east section of the cemetery measuring 53’4” long by 30’ wide entitling ‘… the exclusive right of burial and interment in the parcel of ground and the right to erect monuments or cenotaphs …. in perpetuity for the purposes of burial and interment in the same parcel of ground and of erecting and making and burying and interring when made in any vault or vaults catacomb or catacombs brick graves’.

For the purposes of the Lease the lawyers required a term to describe the association of the senior members of the community (namely, Eustacio Ralli, Antonio Ralli, Alexander Constantine Ionides, and John Schilizzi, all of Finsbury Circus) and the nearest they could manage was ‘Brotherhood’. Overall control of the plot remained with the cemetery company but the Brotherhood determined who qualified for burial and the layout of the plots. The fees were the same as for the rest of the cemetery.

The first burial was on 17 September 1842, that is before the purchase of the Enclosure was completed, and the deceased was Aglaia Tripcoupi (1829-1842), the 12 year old daughter of the Greek statesman, Spyridon Tripcoupis. He had been the first Greek Prime Minister in 1833 and served as Minister (Ambassador) to London on three occasions between 1834-1862.

The Enclosure served the burial needs of the community well for 30 years but, by 1872, it was almost full with some 80 graves with consideration being given to enlargement and to the provision of a mortuary chapel, services until that time being held in in the nearby non-conformist chapel. By coincidence, on 9 March 1872 at Eton College, Augustus Stephen Ralli (1856-1872) died from rheumatic fever. Augustus’s father, Stephen (Augustus) Ralli, wrote to the General Assembly on 18 March 1872 requesting permission to build a small chapel in memory of his son. This was gratefully accepted, and the Churchwardens were instructed to express the Community’s gratitude and with a request that Stephen Ralli dedicate the chapel to St Stephen ‘in order that the remembrance of this valued gift might remain more vivid in the minds of our descendants’.

On 29 July 1872 Brotherhood members Antonio Ralli, John Schilizzi, Demetrius Scaramanga, Pandia Petrocochino, Michael Spartali, Alexander Petrocochino, Octavius Valieri, John Eustratio Ralli, and Peter Pandia Rodocanachi, entered into a Lease that added 17,561 square feet at a cost of £4,390/5/0d. The Enclosure now measured 103’ by 184’. A large section in the south-west corner was reserved for Stephen Ralli in perpetuity for the erection of a mortuary chapel and this land was assigned to him the following day. Burials in the chapel, if erected, were to be charged at the standard rate.

Two further Leases, dated 20 June 1889 and 11 April 1901, added further areas to the west bringing the Enclosure to its current size. The whole is enclosed by railings set between piers and with a pedimented entrance gateway on the east side. The piers along the roadway were capped with statues and the others with Crosses. There are some 350 plots graves in the Enclosure, all numbered within the main cemetery company sequence. The Brotherhood also allocated grave numbers within their own, separate, series so most graves have two numbers. Recently, Mr Pan Pandellis, with assistance from Dr Victoria Solomonides-Hunter, has done much work to establish the locations of graves, and burials within. It is notable, in contrast to the rest to the cemetery, that most graves face east and the layout is more rational, with a grid layout. Among the plots were some 30 graves treated as Common or ‘un-purchased’ graves and reserved for the burial of less fortunate members of the Greek community, the burial costs being covered by the community. The remaining plots were ‘purchased’ with exclusive rights of burial in perpetuity.

The Enclosure passed to the Trustees of The Greek Cathedral Cemetery Enclosures Trust Fund. From the late 1980s repeated attempts were made by the Friends of West Norwood Cemetery to engage with the Trustees through their architect representative over matters of concern about the deteriorating condition of the Enclosure and St Stephen’s Chapel and particularly after English Heritage included the chapel and several memorials on their Buildings At Risk Register. With a Bid for Heritage Lottery funding going forward for the whole cemetery to address the repair requirements the Cemetery Trustees were invited to join with the bid and provide match funding, which they declined. By way of alternative, in order to qualify for the NLHF Bid, negotiations commenced for the Trustees to surrender their interest in the Enclosure, and St Stephen’s Chapel, which occurred on 11 October 2019.

The Enclosure is now under the control of Lambeth Council who have undertaken to respect its unique character. No new burials will be permitted, although further interments in existing graves are allowed, and graves within the Enclosure are excluded from a scheme currently being devised for the re-use of graves in other areas of the cemetery, where no burials have taken place for at least 100 years. Separately to the NLHF work Lambeth has commenced work, in phases, on the reconstruction of the Enclosure’s boundary wall, the first phase being completed earlier this year.

There are currently 16 Listed structures within the Enclosure. Potentially, many others would qualify for Listed status. The Enclosure requires considerable further study and, following a condition survey, further investment.

ST STEPHEN’S CHAPEL

Following the assignment of the land for the chapel to Stephen Ralli (and, also, as trustee, Solon Pelicanos) on 30 July 1872, the project moved quickly. An architect had been appointed, James Thomas Knowles (1806-1884), by then largely retired but still working with his son, of the same name, on projects in London and Hove. Knowles had built his own house in nearby Clapham Park in 1842 and the Rallis were to become his immediate neighbours. It was complete by December 1873.

The chapel, in a pure Doric style is in Monks Path Bath limestone with tetrastyle porticos to the north and south, rests on a plinth slightly higher than the rest of the Enclosure and is reached from within by a set of stone steps. To provide universal access a new entrance external pathway and bridge to the south portico has been created as part of the NLHF project.

The fossiliferous limestone of the north portico is white for the stylobate and golden for rest of building. In front, pediment and metopes are marble sculptures of religious subjects with compositions are based on Parthenon models. The figures within the tympanum, representing the Resurrection of the Dead, are the work of an unknown sculptor and comprise three separate groups, crafted together. The three central figures are terracotta, those on either side are of an unidentified material. Set back are lower wings, containing the side chapels, with rusticated ends, angle pilasters, plain metopes and narrow windows with ruby glass. Over the (north) entrance is a double door with fanlight containing fish-scale glazing.

The interior contains three chambers, the principal being the Cela with a richly decorated coffered ceiling (recently restored) and two side chapels. The west chapel is a burial chamber for members of the Ralli family with commemorative plaques (in abbreviated form) to:

Augustus Stephen Ralli
Their eldest son
London 2 November 1956
Eton 9 March 1872

Ambrose Pandia Ralli
Born Trieste 1851
Died in San Remo 13 March 1899 and buried there

Antonio Ralli
Major 12th Royal Lancers Eldest surviving son of Stephen Ralli
Died at Kroonstad – South Africa
26 May 1900 Aged 39 years

Stephen Augustus Ralli
Marseilles 29 January 1829
Monte Carlo 2 April 1902

Marietta (Stephen) Ralli
Trieste 26 March 1838
Hove 2 March 1922

Irene (Pandia) Calvocoressi
Their grand-daughter
Calcutta 28 August 1882
Montelimar 27 March 1937

Marietta (Ambrose Pandia) Ralli
Their daughter
London 5 March 1863
Sidmouth 19 January 1961

Pandia (John) Calvocoressi
Nice 6 April 1874
London 19 July 1965

The east (mortuary) chapel was equipped with plinths for the receiving and temporary storage of coffins.

Following completion, the building and the land on which it sits were assigned to Trustees by a Deed dated 10 December 1873. However, the rights over the two side chapels were reserved to Stephen Augustus Ralli. Under his Will the rights were assigned to his trustees, Pandia John Calvocoressi and Peter John Ambrose Calvocoressi. These, in turn, were assigned on 25 November 1937 to the Trustees of The Greek Cathedral Cemetery Enclosures Trust Fund.

Also on the east side was a Priest’s robing room. As part of the recent refurbishment this space was converted to accommodate a disability-compliant WC and a small kitchen area. Full plumbing, waste and electrical facilities have also been provided. A large ornamental stained-glass window in the Cela by Clayton & Bell was installed in 1874. It was damaged during World War 2 and replaced in 1952 by a simple etched window portraying Christ ascending (Our Lord with two Angels at his feet) by Harold Warren Wilson. The carved mahogany bier, benches, crucifix and turned candle holders are products of the Foster Graham Company, and were provided in 1884.

The contractors were Messrs Dayman and the stonework carving was by William Piper, son of the original contractor for the whole cemetery. It cost £22,000.

By the early 1970s concerns were being raised about the deteriorating condition of the chapel. It became a Listed (Grade II) building on 8 April 1974 and works of significant repair put in hand later the same year funded by John D Pateras in memory of his wife, Eugenia. The Listed designation was amended to Grade II* on 27 March 1981.

THE NATIONAL LOTTERY HERITAGE FUND PROJECT (2015-2025)

Obtaining lottery funding is not an easy or a fast process. Under the National Lottery Heritage Fund Parks for People programme there were three rounds (or stages), each with strict requirements. The key motivation at the cemetery was the need to secure funding to enable the conservation and repair of the 18 memorials on the English Heritage (now Historic England) Buildings At Risk Register. To this were added general works of repair, the creation of at least one new entrance, interpretation panels and the provision of a Visitor Centre in the existing Lodge building. Within the Hellenic Enclosure, the four selected structures were the memorials to Michael Emmanuel Rodocanachi and to John & Virginia Schilizzi, the Balli mausoleum and St Stephen’s Chapel. The scoping work and preparation of a first draft was undertaken during 2015 by the late Trevor Uprichard, a Lambeth Council officer and Colin Fenn representing the Friends of West Norwood Cemetery. Their report was accepted by a working group under the overall leadership of Kevin Crook, whose council department has been the overall sponsor, Dan Thomas and Steven Wong, also of the council, Bob Flanagan of FoWNC and Nicholas Long, who chaired the Implementation Board throughout from inception.

The Round One Bid was successful, and a development team was then established for Round Two with Joahanne Flaherty as project manager, reporting to the same group. Joahanne took the initial concept, tested its viability and obtained costings, at the same time specialist advisers were appointed including Donald Insall Associates, architects, Harvey Bloor, quantity surveyors, and Paul Harrison and Claire Halestrap of Harrison Design & Development. The Bid was successful.

Round Three was secured with a grant of £4,804,800 from the NLHF and with match funding from Lambeth Council, a total of £7,165,333. funding. Lambeth Council’s Capital Projects Team under Preeti Chatwal-Kauffman was appointed to oversee the works with Sally Strachey Historic Conservation (especially Columba Strachey and Fintan Morrison) as principal contractor for the memorial restorations. Infrastructure works were undertaken by idverde for drainage and roadways and Buxtons for the Visitor Centre and the new Hubbard Road gates. A separate Activities & Volunteering programme under Lucy Zaman of Lambeth Council saw the appointments of Kim Hart and Coreen Snow and they have been instrumental in developing interpretation and the displays within the Visitor Centre.

Councillors Fred Cowell, Rezina Chowdhury, Max Deckers-Dawber, Sonia Winifred and most recently Emma Nye and Olga FitzRoy participated at various times in the Implementation Board. The Head of Bereavement Services, Jacqueline Landy, was involved throughout, together with her staff, and elsewhere in the council, the Nicola Xureb of the Conservation Team, Wayne Chandai of Democratic Services have contributed to the project. Externally, Elizabeth Whitbourn of Historic England and … of the NLHF . Finally, Dr Ian Dungavell, Chief Executive of Highgate Cemetery, Christopher Long, with his unrivalled knowledge of the Chios Diaspora and Tony Burton representing the Cemetery Trustees have all provided invaluable assistance. Many others have also contributed but space does not allow all to be acknowledged. Postscript: the future

It is acknowledged there are other monuments in the Hellenic Enclosure, most particularly the Vagliano mausoleum, which deserve urgent consideration for repair and conservation. The primary responsibility for the maintenance of monuments rests with the legatees of the original purchasers and there is no duty on the part of Lambeth Council to maintain them. There are specific circumstances win which a local authority might apply public funds for conservation or repair but these are mostly restricted to safety. It is to be hoped the NLHF Project will be the start of a new era for the Hellenic Enclosure and descendants will again take pride in ensuring the memorials to their forebears are maintained and restored.

Nicholas Long September 2025