In 40 green acres of peace and quiet, rejuvenate your spirit while exploring an astounding array of magnificent Victorian monuments honouring great Victorian scientists, engineers, inventors, and artists and so much more.

Come and visit.

For over 30 years, the Friends of West Norwood Cemetery have been dedicated to protecting and preserving this remarkable Victorian cemetery, now recognised as one of the finest in Europe. Our members uncover and share the stories of pioneering figures in technology, science, medicine, and culture who are buried here, bringing history to life through research and guided tours.

But our work goes beyond storytelling. We actively care for the cemetery through protecting monuments, gardening and helping reconnect families with their heritage. By bridging past and present, we strengthen community ties and ensure this treasured space remains a vibrant part of our cultural landscape.

West Norwood Cemetery was saved from lawn conversion in 1989 by the passionate group of supporters who founded the Friends. More than three decades later, the Friends remain at the heart of the cemetery’s care and protection, continuing this vital role. 

In Memoriam: Professor Robert Flanagan (1948 – 2026)

It is with great sadness that we share news of the recent and unexpected death of Bob Flanagan. 

In 1990, Bob led a dedicated group of community members, historians and conservationists — including our Membership Secretary, Jill Dudman — to establish the Friends of West Norwood Cemetery. He went on to serve as its Chair for more than 30 years, tirelessly documenting the cemetery’s history and the stories of some of the lives of those buried here. As former Friends’ Vice Chair Colin Fenn reflected, “Under Bob’s direction, the Friends’ newsletter became as much an academic historical study as a periodic journal of the trials and tribulations of the cemetery through many difficult years.” Bob’s leadership during the pivotal court action against Lambeth Council in the 1990s laid the foundations for the Friends’ stewardship of the cemetery that continues today. 

In addition to Bob’s tireless work with the Friends, and his ongoing involvement on the joint Lambeth and West Norwood Cemetery’s Strategic Partnership Board, Bob was a renowned toxicologist who pioneered the analysis of the side effects of drugs such as ketamine and clozapine. A past President of the British Academy of Forensic Sciences, he remained a prominent member of its Executive Council until his death. Bob was also internationally recognised for his analysis of many high-profile cases, where Bob’s professional expertise naturally extended to investigating a number of suspicious deaths from the Victorian era including those of some of West Norwood Cemetery’s residents. 

We all owe a great debt to Bob’s decades-long commitment to West Norwood Cemetery, and our thoughts and condolences are with his wife Anne and family, and his many friends and colleagues. 

Bob’s legacy – the protection and preservation of this great cemetery – will continue to be remembered and his influence felt by generations to come. He will be missed.

Recently updated pages

Norwood and the Boer War

Norwood and the Dictionary of National Biography

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WW1 Served and Survived (part of Great War Connections)