Edward John (Immyns) Abbott, (1823-4/10/1849). "of musical and artistic accomplishments"

I have often been asked where was Dunedin's oldest cemetery.  I know what people want to hear as an answer, but what they are told is that I don't know.  The oldest cemetery in the Dunedin area will be a long-forgotten (or possibly not) one made by the people of Waitaha, Kati Mamoe or Kai Tahu.  Apart from the Kai Tahu urupa at Otakou, I know of none.

Dunedin's oldest European cemetery is on the corner of Rattray and Arthur streets.  I have read that many of the grave markers were of wood and the cemetery was neglected during the boom of Otago's gold rush. When it was decided to clean it up, many of the markers were no longer present or readable and the names on the memorial on the site are those of people who are known to be buried there - it is likely there are more.  The current memorial, containing the names of those known to lie there, was raised in 1880.

From an alphabetical list, I intend to tell the stories I can find of those remembered on the memorial.

Arthur St cemetery, 1879. Burton Brothers photo, held by the Hocken Library.

Edward Abbott was a surveyor, sent to the Dunedin site with Charles Kettle in 1846, in advance of the first Scottish settlers.  A valuable skill for a surveyor was the ability to sketch a scene.  He painted, shortly before his death, the scene below, titled "Dunedin from Little Paisley," viewed roughly from where South and Eglinton Roads meet today.  Abbots Creek and nearby Abbotsford are named after him.

There exists some confusion around Edward Abbott.  The painting of Little Paisley is attributed to "Edward Immyns Abbot."  I cannot think that there would be two men named Edward Abbott in the Dunedin area at the time.

Married — August 18, at the Court House, Dunedin, Otago, by the Rev. C. Creed, Captain Gay, of the whaling ship Offtey, from Hobart Town, to Miss Sinclair, of Pigeon Bay, Banks' Peninsula. Died — At Otago, on the 4th instant, Edward I Abbott, Esq., (late of Wellington,) deeply regretted.  -Wellington Independent, 24/10/1849.

MR CHARLES HENRY KETTLE

CONTROLLER OF THE FIRST OTAGO SURVEY. 

CENTENARY OF HIS BIRTH.   (excerpt)

the fourth contract, the Taieri Plain, was entrusted to Mews Scroggs and Abbott. Svdney M. Scrogg was the son of an English colonel, and Edwards Immyns Abbott was a young man of musical and artistic accomplishments, his name now preserved in Abbotsford.  -Evening Star, 4/6/1920.

Dunedin from Little Paisley. Hocken Library image.