3,500 burials at Ryhope Cemetery from its opening in 1898 to the end of Oct 1923. Most burials list parents, husband, or occupation of the deceased, unlike the terse parish register. Many of these have been checked against the GRO death index when there were questions about age or name.

From 1895, Ryhope was the site of the Sunderland Borough Asylum, called Cherry Knowle Hospital after the creation of the National Health Service in 1948. Hundreds of inmates, many of whom received a pauper’s funeral, were buried at Ryhope Cemetery, the nearest and therefore the cheapest place to inter them.

Examples:

• 11 Aug 1899 Edward Bosterman, age: 32, mason, died at the Sunderland Borough Asylum [Cherry Knowle Hospital]
• 26 Jul 1899 Joseph Anderson Gibson, age: 32, fireman on steam ship, died at the Sunderland Borough Asylum [Cherry Knowle Hospital]
• 24 Mar 1899 Sarah Ann Lemon, of 1 Queen Street, age: 43, wife of James Lemon
• 4 Sep 1899 Barbara Gordon, of 16 Railway Street, age: 4 months, daughter of Jane Gordon
• 1 Aug 1903 John Stephenson Brown, age: 19, son of Elijah Brown (deceased), killed at Ryhope Colliery
• 5 Mar 1902 Roger Musgrove, of 75 Burdon Street, age: 18, son of Henry Musgrove
  [Note: He was 16 according to the GRO death index]

2,013 burials at Hetton Cemetery in Hetton-le-Hole, from its opening in May 1891 to the end of 1902. In the first 2 years, many of the children’s deaths have parents listed, and some adult deaths list their occupations:

• 29 Apr 1892 Alice Oliver, of Bog Row, age: 16, daughter of David Oliver (mason)
• 12 Jun 1892 Stephenson Brown, of Market Street, age: 91, shoemaker

but in mid-1893, the information becomes more terse, although parents and occupations are still occasionally listed:

• 26 Aug 1893 Edward M. Modral, of Caroline Street, age: 2
• 21 Jul 1898 Thomas Gillis, age: 37, died at Sedgefield Asylum